Missouri teacher convicted of punching and biting 12-year-old's face gets 30 days in prison

A US court has given 30 days in prison to a Missouri teacher after she was found guilty of physically assaulting a 12-year-old boy.

Brandy Taylor had hit and punched the child in 2017 at Albertville High School. She also bit the boy's face and beat him with a belt. She has been put on paid leave from the school since a complaint was filed against her on 1 December. However, it was not clear what exactly prompted the 38-year-old to behave in such a cruel way with the minor.

Taylor was convicted of third degree assault on Wednesday, 24 January.

A Guntersville police officer also testified against the teacher and stated in a court document that after the assault the child suffered wound marks on his leg and back, bruising on his thighs, marks on his face and redness around his eyes, WAFF reported.

Local media reports stated that after her conviction, Boyd English, Albertville school superintendent, was in consultation with the attorneys to discuss the next step.

The Guntersville judge said he might give Taylor a $500,000 (£353,850) bond, but no plea has been filed yet. Her lawyer, Tom Woodall, said he could not comment because the case file has been sealed and marked confidential.

Taylor is facing more legal trouble. In February, she is set to stand trial in a separate case in which she is accused of using pepper spray on the eyes of her ex-husband, James Dan Sims, at an amusement park in Boaz, Missouri.

The alleged incident happened in 2016 when the pair was having a fight about their child. Following the incident, Sims filed an order of protection against Taylor. He said in the petition: "I fear with her instability and with her escalating her threats that next time she will use a gun and kill me."