Warwick Mok, a 37-year-old car mechanic, was ordered to do 200 hours of community service yesterday for caning his stepson 300 times because he lied.
According to the SCMP, the incident that sparked the caning occurred in March, when the boy took an apple from the family altar for the dog to play with.
After Mok’s father told him about the incident, Mok confronted the boy, who insisted the dog took it itself. Mok then caned the boy 150 times for lying, and another 150 times two days later after the boy insisted he was innocent.
The boy’s mother and Mok’s girlfriend later contacted social workers that brought this case to the police. The boy was treated for bruises on his palms in the hospital for 12 days.
Principal Magistrate Bernadette Woo Huey Fang, who sentenced Mok yesterday, said, “Back in the day our parents would beat us and we wouldn’t dare say anything. But not only has this kind of teaching method gone out of fashion, it is also illegal.”
The magistrate did note positive reports from Mok, suggesting his stepson was indeed behaving badly, but stressed that he should still not resort to beating.
Photo: Wicker Paradise via Flickr
