bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

SCMP Reporter

A barrister accused of mistreating his domestic helper yesterday denied he had attacked her with a hot iron but said her work was not up to standard.

 Paul Tse Tak-yan, 47, also denied providing Marilyn Madalipay, 47, with only a slice of bread for breakfast and a cup of instant noodles for lunch.

 Ms Madalipay took Mr Tse to court claiming $7,000 including outstanding wages and a return airline ticket.

 She told the District Court she was badly treated by the barrister and his wife, Khor Siew Ngoh, during her three months employment at their Cloudview Road flat in North Point.

 When asked by his legal representative, Johnny Chan Yue-chow, Mr Tse said the maid's work was far from satisfactory since she joined them on September 2, 1996.

 Mr Tse said Ms Madalipay was reluctant to do what he and his wife requested and stayed in her room, claiming to be tired.

 'For example, when we asked her to clean the windows, she would go to clean the toilets,' Mr Tse testified.

 He added that on one occasion Ms Madalipay had not ironed his shirts for court attendance so he was forced to do it himself.

 'As a domestic helper, I am afraid in a number of aspects she is not up to standard,' he said.

 Mr Tse also denied forcing her to go to the market in the rain without an umbrella, throwing a damp tissue paper into her bedroom while she was taking a rest and setting up a camera to monitor her performance.

 When asked by the maid's lawyer, Usha Casewell, Mr Tse said he had not sacked the maid although he was not satisfied with her performance. He claimed he did not want to cause her any financial hardship.

 The court heard previously that Ms Madalipay was forced to work from 6.30am to 11.30pm every day without rest, except for a day off on Saturday. Ms Madalipay had also told the court she had been hit with a metal colander by Mr Tse's wife.

 Mr Tse has filed a counter-claim against Ms Madalipay, saying she had masqueraded as the real Philippine helper he had intended to employ.

 The claims include $6,000 for the employment contract, $100 for breaking a microwave dish and an unspecified sum for damaging an iron and occupying the maid's room.

 The hearing will resume before Deputy Judge Yung Yiu-wing next month.



I did not beat maid with hot iron: lawyer