Hong Kong construction worker given 1½ years’ probation for hitting intellectually disabled daughter
- Father, 31, slapped the seven-year-old girl on her face and back six times after she urinated on the ground and on toilet seat cover, leaving her hospitalised for almost two weeks
- Defendant had previously been bound over for 1½ years for 2019 attack on eight-year-old son
A Hong Kong construction worker has been spared jail after he admitted punishing his intellectually disabled daughter with six slaps on the face and back for urinating on the ground.
The 31-year-old father of three was instead sentenced to 1½ years of probation at Eastern Court on Friday for child abuse relating to the assault at a Sai Ying Pun flat on August 2 that left the girl, seven, hospitalised for almost two weeks.
The accused earlier admitted beating the girl, his second eldest child, in an outburst of anger after she urinated on the ground and on a toilet seat cover. His wife discovered bruises on the girl’s face and back that evening. He was arrested a week later.
The father had a record of child abuse, having previously been bound over for 1½ years for attacking his eldest son, eight, in 2019.
He pleaded guilty earlier this month to one count of wilful assault by those in charge of a child or young person – an offence punishable by three years’ imprisonment when tried before a magistrate.
A duty lawyer representing the father said the man had been under immense pressure taking care of his three children while his wife worked during the day.
The defendant had a job as a construction worker at night to help make ends meet.