SINGAPORE: A 47-year-old man pleaded guilty on Tuesday (Dec 16) to ill-treating his two sons, the older of whom has special needs.
He had lodged a police report against himself for use of excessive force when disciplining his older son, and his then-wife followed suit a few months later, saying her husband had committed family violence against her two boys for the five years prior with increasing intensity.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the identities of his sons, admitted to three counts of ill-treating a child under the Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA). Another five charges will be considered in sentencing.
The court heard that the Singaporean man has two sons with his ex-wife aged 15 and 11.
The older boy has special needs, but is high-functioning.
The family moved overseas in 2015 and returned to Singapore in 2019.
According to the man's ex-wife, he would slap and pinch the boys, making them kneel and denying them meals as punishment.
In 2020, when disciplining his older son over an unspecified incident, the man pinched his chest, causing bruises.
In March 2020, the boy's tuition teacher noticed the bruises when the boy happened to pull his shirt up.
The then-nine-year-old boy said the bruises were caused by his father, and the teacher took a photo, feeling that it was "not normal".
While at home sometime in early January 2024, the man was angry at his older son for being rude.
He hit him multiple times and threatened to hit him with an object but his then-wife stepped between them to stop him.
The man also made the boy, then 13, kneel on the floor.
The boy sustained bruises and scratches from the abuse.
In 2021, the man was angry with his younger son and told him to take off his pants and face the wall.
He then used a cane and forcefully hit his buttocks and legs multiple times, leaving marks and abrasions.
The boy was six years old.
The man's ex-wife moved out with her two boys after an incident in January 2024.
In March 2024, the man lodged a police report against himself for use of excessive violence when disciplining his older son.
In May 2024, on the advice of a social worker, the boys' mother lodged a police report against the accused for family violence, which she said had been occurring against her sons for the past five years with increasing intensity.
The prosecution sought 16 to 18 months' jail for the man, highlighting the need for deterrence in child abuse cases.
He said it was "no excuse" for an accused person to say they were angry or frustrated when they committed the offences.
The level of harm was "not insignificant", and that both boys sustained physical injuries which "were not minor", he added.
The abusive acts were also sustained over a prolonged period of time, said the prosecutor.
Defence lawyer Sara Ng said this was not a case of "senseless or malicious violence", and that the acts were all carried out "in the context of discipline".
She said her client "is a devoted father who has made immense sacrifices". This includes quitting his career and moving overseas to support his older son's condition.
She said the offences involved "misguided discipline" and not "unprovoked aggression".
For the charge of pinching the older son's chest, Ms Ng said the boy had been rude to his mother and refused to apologise, and this was a disciplinary action against him.
For another charge when the man hit his older son with his hands, this arose over frustration for the boy's "persistent non-compliant behaviour" when he was being reprimanded.
As for the caning involving the younger son, Ms Ng said the boy had been violent and had pushed another child at a playground, and her client felt that "strong corrective action" was required.
However, he fully accepts that his actions were excessive, said the lawyer.
She argued that his intent was "corrective at all times" and the fact that he had made a police report against himself makes his case very unlike typical abuse cases.
While the prosecution had raised the point about difficulty of detection, Ms Ng said her client had reported himself "well before" his ex-wife had done so.
This was because he recognised that he had lost control, and sought intervention to stop himself, she said.
This demonstrates "genuine contrition" on his part, and he was "not an absent or negligent father", said Ms Ng.
The judge said he needed more time to consider the sentence and adjourned the case to January.
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He had lodged a police report against himself for use of excessive force when disciplining his older son, and his then-wife followed suit a few months later, saying her husband had committed family violence against her two boys for the five years prior with increasing intensity.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the identities of his sons, admitted to three counts of ill-treating a child under the Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA). Another five charges will be considered in sentencing.
The court heard that the Singaporean man has two sons with his ex-wife aged 15 and 11.
The older boy has special needs, but is high-functioning.
The family moved overseas in 2015 and returned to Singapore in 2019.
According to the man's ex-wife, he would slap and pinch the boys, making them kneel and denying them meals as punishment.
In 2020, when disciplining his older son over an unspecified incident, the man pinched his chest, causing bruises.
In March 2020, the boy's tuition teacher noticed the bruises when the boy happened to pull his shirt up.
The then-nine-year-old boy said the bruises were caused by his father, and the teacher took a photo, feeling that it was "not normal".
While at home sometime in early January 2024, the man was angry at his older son for being rude.
He hit him multiple times and threatened to hit him with an object but his then-wife stepped between them to stop him.
The man also made the boy, then 13, kneel on the floor.
The boy sustained bruises and scratches from the abuse.
In 2021, the man was angry with his younger son and told him to take off his pants and face the wall.
He then used a cane and forcefully hit his buttocks and legs multiple times, leaving marks and abrasions.
The boy was six years old.
The man's ex-wife moved out with her two boys after an incident in January 2024.
In March 2024, the man lodged a police report against himself for use of excessive violence when disciplining his older son.
In May 2024, on the advice of a social worker, the boys' mother lodged a police report against the accused for family violence, which she said had been occurring against her sons for the past five years with increasing intensity.
The prosecution sought 16 to 18 months' jail for the man, highlighting the need for deterrence in child abuse cases.
He said it was "no excuse" for an accused person to say they were angry or frustrated when they committed the offences.
The level of harm was "not insignificant", and that both boys sustained physical injuries which "were not minor", he added.
The abusive acts were also sustained over a prolonged period of time, said the prosecutor.
"MISGUIDED DISCIPLINE": DEFENCE
Defence lawyer Sara Ng said this was not a case of "senseless or malicious violence", and that the acts were all carried out "in the context of discipline".
She said her client "is a devoted father who has made immense sacrifices". This includes quitting his career and moving overseas to support his older son's condition.
She said the offences involved "misguided discipline" and not "unprovoked aggression".
For the charge of pinching the older son's chest, Ms Ng said the boy had been rude to his mother and refused to apologise, and this was a disciplinary action against him.
For another charge when the man hit his older son with his hands, this arose over frustration for the boy's "persistent non-compliant behaviour" when he was being reprimanded.
As for the caning involving the younger son, Ms Ng said the boy had been violent and had pushed another child at a playground, and her client felt that "strong corrective action" was required.
However, he fully accepts that his actions were excessive, said the lawyer.
She argued that his intent was "corrective at all times" and the fact that he had made a police report against himself makes his case very unlike typical abuse cases.
While the prosecution had raised the point about difficulty of detection, Ms Ng said her client had reported himself "well before" his ex-wife had done so.
This was because he recognised that he had lost control, and sought intervention to stop himself, she said.
This demonstrates "genuine contrition" on his part, and he was "not an absent or negligent father", said Ms Ng.
The judge said he needed more time to consider the sentence and adjourned the case to January.
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