Mother beat son with whip

Press, 24 April 1986, Page 17

Mother beat son with whip

PA Palmerston North A mother of six who beat her 12-year-old son with a riding whip has been convicted of assault. The woman told a police constable she had taken "only normal discipline measures for crime. Normal for parental discipline.” In the Feilding District Court, the woman, aged 45, told Judge Toomey she had suspected the boy of stealing money and had given him “a hiding” with the whip. “It’s a saddle stick — I use it on all the animals,

cats and dogs, and the kids whenever they need it.” Police said the boy, the woman’s youngest son, was severely beaten and suffered extensive bruising and injuries to his back, upper arms and legs. The beating was given because the boy would not tell the woman where he had obtained money she found in his bag. A doctor said an examination of the boy revealed between 12 and 24 injuries. The woman pleaded not guilty to assault, and was

granted continued interim suppression of name. In evidence on Tuesday, she said the boy did not get pocket money, as the family lived on a “pretty tight” budget. It was not the first time she had found he had money on him, but she had chosen to let things ride in the past, though she suspected stealing. Since the incident, the boy has been in the care of the social welfare department in Palmerston North. Judge Toomey found the assault charge proven,

and said that while parental beating must be looked at carefully, he could not find the injuries sustained by the boy were reasonable. “The woman was concerned about this lad and others in her family, but that does not justify the force and beating administered to this boy,” he said. He convicted the woman and remanded her until May 13 for sentencing.