The District Court in Timaru heard of how his 13-year-old son had welts and partially broken skin, after he was disciplined with a piece of bamboo last October. Photo / File
The District Court in Timaru heard of how his 13-year-old son had welts and partially broken skin, after he was disciplined with a piece of bamboo last October. Photo / File
A domestic abuse charity has condemned the actions of a man who beat his child with a bamboo cane, under the guise of parental discipline.
The South Canterbury man, who has permanent name suppression, has been sentenced to five months home detention at Timaru District Court.
He was found guiltyof two representative charges of assault with a blunt object, after he struck his 13 year old son with a piece of bamboo in October.
The court heard how attack left his son with welts and broken skin, but the man claimed the treatment was permissible under God's law.
However Jill Proudfoot, a spokeswoman for the charity Shine which campaigns against domestic violence, said the man's behaviour has nothing to with religion.
"We want Christians to stand in solidarity and show example to the community, that we can effectively discipline our children by using a more loving type of method."
Two earlier incidents involving the man's son and his 10-year-old daughter were also mentioned in court.
Defence counsel Jay Lovely told the court that community detention would be the best punishment, as the man had a Bible study one evening per week.
However, this option was declined by Judge Joanna Maze at sentencing.
