Jail for man who beat 10-year-old son over comments on alleged extramarital affair
A 51-year-old man repeatedly punched and kicked his 10-year-old son on the face and body, fracturing the boy’s eye socket, outraged by the boy's taunts that he was having an affair. Photo: Reuters
SINGAPORE — Outraged by his then 10-year-old son’s taunts that he was having an affair, a 51-year-old man repeatedly punched and kicked his son on the face and body, fracturing the boy’s eye socket.
For causing grievous hurt, he was sentenced to a year’s jail. Another charge involving an assault on his 41-year-old wife was taken into consideration during sentencing. He cannot be named to protect the identity of his son, who is now 12.
Court documents showed that in the late afternoon of May 28, 2015, the father had returned home and started chiding his son about his grades, which upset the boy.
After having some drinks later that evening, the father went to talk to the boy’s mother. The couple was going through divorce proceedings.
As his parents were talking, the boy overheard his father badmouthing him. This prompted the boy to remark: “You like that woman more than us. Why do you care for us so much?” Court documents did not state whether the father was having an affair.
Furious over his son’s comments, the father shouted: “What you say?”. The boy repeated his comment.
The father then started to punch and kick his son on the body and face. He also pulled the boy’s hair and arms.
Lying on the floor later, the primary school student tried to defend himself with both his hands. His mother tried to shield him using her body, but was kicked on the back by her husband.
Moments later, the man pushed his wife aside, causing her to fall backwards and hit her back on a vase and a safe box.
The boy continued to lob accusations at his father, who kept punching him in the face.
The family’s domestic helper, witnessing the attacks, called the police. They arrested the man and noted that the son’s face and head were swollen.
A medical examination at the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital showed that the boy had suffered a hematoma over his left forehead and a fractured socket in his right eye.
Yesterday in court, the prosecution called for the father to be given a 15-month jail term, saying that he had assaulted a vulnerable victim who is of a young age.
The man’s lawyer, Mr Ravinderpal Singh, told the court that this was a “one-off” incident and he had acted “out of character”. Furthermore, the incident occurred at a point when his relationship with his wife was very strained.
As he might appeal against his sentence, the man is now out on S$20,000 bail.
For the offence of causing grievous hurt, he could have received up to 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine.
