Charges against a 37-year-old Lackawannock Township man accused of beating an 8-year-old boy several times last month moved to common pleas court Monday afternoon after a hearing in District Justice Ruth M. French's Mercer court.

Jonathan M. Watters, formerly of 7266 W. Market St., now of 1062 Haig St., Sharon, said little and looked straight ahead as his attorney Randall Hetrick discussed the charges during the hearing. Watters stipulated to the charges, which means he agreed if testimony was heard the case would likely be held to court.

Watters is accused of assaulting an 8-year old boy Sept. 29 by entering the boy's room and punching him in the stomach three times and threatening to "do worse" to him if he told anyone, according to a police affidavit.

Driving the boy home from school Sept. 30 on Bend Road in Lackawannock Township, Watters stopped the car, pulled the boy out of the car, hit him in the stomach, the head and the side with his fist, and threw him onto a gravel surface which caused abrasions on his stomach and lower back, police said.

When the boy's mother came to the residence, the man cried and admitted to what he did, the affidavit said. When she tried to take the victim from the residence, he threatened to kill the boy in front of the mother, police said.

According to state police Trooper Robert Soros, Watters said that the boy was causing trouble in Watter's relationship to the mother.

Watters faces charges of aggravated assault, two counts of simple assault, and making s threats. Bond was set at $10,000, which Watters posted following his arraignment Oct. 1.

The boy's natural father, who has primary physical custody, declined comment but said that Watters had done this to his son before.

According to court records, Watters was charged with assaulting a 6-year old boy in December of 2000 in Lackawannock Township.

The police affidavit stated that Watters struck the victim four times on the right side of the face, requiring the child to get medical attention. The child told police at that time that he was being punished for "cutting his own hair."

Watters was convicted of a summary charge of harassment in relation to that incident, Soros said.