‘Dad of the Year’ Keith Preddie Let Off for Christmas Domestic Abuse

A Michael Jackson impersonator who was awarded GMTV's Dad of the Year has been given a conditional discharge for attacking his wife in a row about Christmas presents.

Keith Preddie, 44, cried as Judge Alan Baldwin passed down the sentence at Croydon magistrates' court.

Preddie threw a washing frame and a plastic step at his wife Emma after she bought a present for his mother without telling him.

He proceeded to pin her to the sofa in their home in Croydon, south London, waking his 12-year-old daughter.

The incident took place on 19 December. He became angry because Mrs Preddie had already given his mother a present for Christmas. She called the police the next morning to report the attack.

Prosecutor Louise Thomas said: "Mr Preddie entered the room and asked her if there were any presents left over that he could give to his mother. Mrs Preddie replied she had already given his mother a present. At that point Mr Preddie became angry and shouted he had been to a lot of shops that day to get a present and had become very stressed looking for one.

"Suddenly he grabbed a washing frame which had clothing on it and he threw it at her. It landed about a foot away from her. At that point she told him he had better calm down and grow up, so he left the room. After a short period he re-entered the room and started shouting again.

"He threw a plastic step at Mrs Preddie, hitting her on her left arm. She was pinned down against the sofa, she shouted, 'Get off me, leave me alone' and he let go and she left the room."

At the sentencing hearing, Baldwin told Preddie: "It's no good crying. You have got to face up to this.

"I don't want to condone in any way what you did and I don't say violence of any sort should be tolerated or condoned, particularly domestic violence. A man of your background should have known better.

"But fortunately for you, this is a single incident. The complainant didn't suffer serious injuries and I don't really think there was any pre-meditation or forethought.

"I have read the references and you are clearly a man of positive good character who has done a lot of good things and continue to do so.

"You have shown a great deal of remorse and understanding of what took place and taken steps to deal with it. I consider it a momentary lapse in an otherwise unblemished life."

Preddie admitting to assaulting his wife at Croydon magistrates court in March after initially entering a not guilty plea.

At the March hearing, chair of the bench Jackie Hamblin said: "We note that this offence was committed in a domestic setting and had an effect on your daughter who was in the house.

"We found greater harm because of the sustained nature of the attack. We will request an all options report that could include custody."

After being found guilty, Preddie said he had been the victim of emotional abuse.

Preddie was named Dad of the Year in 2010 for helping to set up the charity It's Time for Dads and working at the Family Centre in New Addington since 2003.

He also appeared on Channel 4's Come Dine With Me in 2011. During the show he irritated other contestants by continually using the Jackson's 'Shamone' catchphrase. He went on to release a charity single with the phrase.