... after he was jailed for beating up his ex-girlfriend.

FA Cup hero Basden lashed out following taunts that he was not the father of her son, a court heard on Friday.

The 22-year-old expressed frustration that he could not see the youngster, said prosecutor Insp. Peter Duffy.

And he vented his anger by punching Keisha Smith on the nose, knocking her out.

Magistrate the Wor. Cheryl-Ann Mapp, however, told him: "You have got to learn this is not the way to deal with your problems. The road you are on is leading to disaster.'' She went on to warn him of the effects of his behaviour on the child.

"The child does not have a hope in heaven of being brought up in a stable environment. What type of example are you setting the child?'' Ms Mapp added: "You can have a relationship with your child without having a relationship with the mother.'' She suggested family members of Basden who were in court could act as "mediators''.

Basden, of Bushy Park Drive, Sandys, received the six-month sentence after pleading guilty to assaulting Smith on April 16, while on bail.

He was also fined $250, or told to spend 25 days in custody, after admitting stealing her bag.

In addition, Basden was given a four-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, for assaulting Smith on October 31.

It will run consecutive to the other jail term. Any time spent in custody was to be taken into account, Ms Mapp directed.

Family members expressed shock as Ms Mapp sentenced Basden, who plays for soccer club, Vasco.

He recently played a starring role in Vasco's 2-0 FA Cup victory at the National Stadium against Devonshire Cougars, scoring one of the goals.

Details of the first assault were released at an earlier court hearing.

Yesterday Insp. Peter Duffy, prosecuting, outlined circumstances surrounding the April assault.

He said Basden spoke to Smith in a fast-food restaurant in Queen Street, and tried to make arrangements to see her child.

Smith refused, and Basden picked up her handbag and ran out of the restaurant.

Insp. Duffy said the bag and contents amounted to $665, and were later returned.

He added Basden and Smith met up again at a dance in Dockyard.

On this occasion, Basden punched her on the nose, knocking her out briefly.

Insp. Duffy said Smith was in pain, and received black eyes. Basden was arrested later that day.

Basden claimed he had taken the bag out of frustration, added Insp. Duffy.

Insp. Duffy pointed out Basden was a freight packer, with no previous convictions.

Lawyer Mr. Mark Pettingill said the prosecution's account had overblown what transpired.

"It is not just a simple case of my client walking up and decking the complainant.'' Mr. Pettingill said a "heated argument'' had burst over the question of the paternity of Smith's child, and Basden's access to it.

"Blows were thrown by both individuals. Clearly the complainant caught the worst of it. Basden is cognizant that that type of behaviour is unacceptable,'' he stressed.

Mr. Pettingill said that Basden the assaults had been "entirely out of character''.

He said Basden was lucky in having the support of family members.

Mr. Pettingill told Ms Mapp that Basden had recently obtained a job at a bank, offering the prospect of higher responsibilities and better wages.

It provided Basden with the opportunity of "upward mobility''.

"I would ask that in the light of my client's relatively unblemished character, you deal with him by any other means than incarceration.'' Basden told Ms Mapp his sole interests had been for his child, saying he had invested a "considerable amount of money'' in him.

He said he had taken Smith's bag in a bid to gain access to his son.

"I was using a bag as bait.'' Ms Mapp, however, said she failed to see the logic of his behaviour.