Unemployed man jailed one year for abusing son, daughter

PETALING JAYA: An unemployed man was sentenced to one year in jail by the magistrate's court here today for causing hurt to his daughter and son using cigarette butts and a rubber hose, five years ago.
Magistrate Salamiah Salleh meted down the sentence on A. Sivamoorthy, 47, after he pleaded guilty to two charges of hurting his 14-year-old daughter and six-year-old son, during the incident.
The action has caused the children to have bruises and swelling on their hands, legs and back of body, besides having scars from cigarette burns on their body, according to a medical report.
The court ordered the accused to serve six months' jail for each charge which both would be served separately, starting today.
The offences were committed in a house unit at Sri Pulai Apartment, Puchong Hartamas, Puchong, here, between 8 am to midnight May 2012, under Section 323 of the Penal Code which provides for a maximum jail term of one year and a fine of up to RM2,000 or both upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Mary Phoon Keat Mee urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence on the accused, taking into consideration both victims were only children during the incident, and as a father, the accused should have shown his love for his children.
However, the accused who was unrepresented, appealed for a light sentence citing that he suffered from epilepsy and was still seeking for a job. — Bernama