Irish police have arrested a man who was seen dangling a three-week-old baby upside down by his feet as a woman begs him to stop. The incident came to light after a video of the act went viral on social media over Easter weekend.

A three-minute clip, which was posted on social media on Friday, shows the man swinging the toddler in circles by his feet with his head unsupported. The video, which has now been deleted, was reportedly shot somewhere in Ireland.

The man could be heard saying: "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." while holding the toddler by his feet and lifting him up and down four times. The woman then says "You are a bad b****** do you know that? You are a bad b******". The woman then says "stop, stop, I'm going to send this to your sister."

The man appears to be doting on the child in the beginning of the video, but things soon escalate as he picks him up and turns him upside down, writes The Sun.

He then goes on to say that the baby is scared of him. The woman then tells him "Ah he's not scared of you he loves ya. He's not scared of you, he's a hero."

She continues filming even as the man swings the baby again holding him by the feet. At one point in the video, he grabs the baby's onesie by the neck and lifts him with one hand and swings him around in circles.

The woman gets worried and says: "stop that's not funny even though I'm laughing, ah that's dangerous." The police have now arrested the man but have not divulged any details about the case.

"Gardai are investigating an incident of alleged child neglect in the North East of the country. A man in his 30s has been arrested in relation to this incident," said a Gardai spokesperson. "Due to the sensitive nature of this incident no further details can be disclosed at this time," the spokesperson added.

Toddler
Representational image. Photo: Pixabay