Man, 80, blames pipe assault on Bible

An 80-year-old Taranaki man who assaulted a child with a plastic alkathene pipe said he believed he was following the Bible.

The man pleaded guilty to two charges of assaulting a child and assault with a blunt instrument when he appeared in New Plymouth District Court yesterday, the Taranaki Daily News reported.

His lawyer, Paul Keegan, said the incident was out of character.

"He is a Christian man and believes firmly in traditional methods of discipline," he said.

The man told police he had been "seeking to correct him in the manner described in the Bible", after the boy stole $1000 from him.

He was to be sentenced on February 12 and was granted interim name suppression until then.

- NZPA