A father jailed for a month because he could not afford to pay two months’ child maintenance to his estranged wife has had the punishment reduced to a €100 fine on appeal.

Carmel Pace failed to pay maintenance in September and October last year, although it has since been paid in full.

In his appeal, Mr Pace said he found the sentence excessive considering he had not failed to pay out of spite but because he did not have the money.

The failure was not out of disrespect to the court but because he found it difficult to keep up with bills.

Mr Justice Lawrence Quintano deemed the punishment to have been excessive given the circumstances and when compared with similar cases.

In another case, a person who had not paid any maintenance for three months had been conditionally discharged.