A Perth mother charged over slapping her four-year-old son in the face was taken away in tears from her home in a police van.

Police charged the woman with assault after a member of the public reported seeing the alleged incident at a shopping centre.

· Pope says spanking is OK
• Woman shot dead by NSW police: witness
• PM urged to deal with Credlin
• Newman resigns as Premier

The woman’s husband, and father of the boy, said it happened after the child went into a meltdown.

“She’s slapped my son to the side of the face, which is probably uncalled for, but it was done,” he told Fairfax radio on Monday.

“He was rebelling a bit so she’s clipped him on the side of the face, not necessarily aiming for that.”

The man said officers stopped his wife in the car park to inspect their three children and later arrested her at the family home, taking her away in a police van.

He said there was no history of abuse against the children and their son was not injured.

“They were all bruise free, not a mark on them,” he said.

“But they were mortified at the fact that their mum was in trouble, who was also broken down in tears.”