Gisborne mother admits assault on son

11:25 AM

A Gisborne woman has admitted hitting her 10-year-old son so hard with a vacuum cleaner pipe that she broke it in two.

The 35-year-old was convicted in the District Court this morning and will be sentenced next month.

The court heard how the child became upset at school the day after the assault, and a teacher who examined him called police.

The boy had severe bruising around his body and on his arms and shoulders.

His mother told police she had been angry at the boy's continual lying and stealing, but accepted she had gone too far in hitting him eight or nine times with the pipe.

The incident happened after the boy had been caught stealing cigarettes which were sitting in the family car.

As well as the assault, the child was forced to eat the contents of an ash tray.

- IRN