SHAH ALAM: The High Court here yesterday increased by a year the jail sentence on a lorry driver currently serving a six months’ jail for beating his daughter with a plastic chair and causing her to be injured on the head last October.
Justice Datuk Abdul Alim Abdullah, in allowing the appeal by the prosecution, ordered the man to serve the additional sentence after he had completed the six months’ jail.
He also ordered the 33-year-old convict to be placed on good behaviour bond for three years after completing his time.
When handing down the decision, Abdul Alim said the court viewed seriously the offence committed by the accused and the punishment meted out should reflect the seriousness of the offence.
He said the Child Act 2001 was formulated to protect the children’s right and in this case, the accused had injured his own daughter with a chair and the girl was given eight stitches on the head for the injury.
“The victim is lucky to be alive and hence, the court finds the sentence handed down by the Magistrate’s Court is too light.
“The court wants to send a message that you cannot treat children like that,” he added.
Abdul Alim also warned the accused that he could face a maximum fine of RM10,000 or five years’ jail or both if he was caught violating the good behaviour bond.
The lorry driver was charged in the Klang Magistrate’s Court last Nov 2 for abusing his daughter with a chair and causing her to be injured on the head at a house in Bandar Sultan Suleiman, Klang, at about 8.30pm on Oct 12, 2012.
He was arrested on Oct 27 last year and charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the child Act 2001.
The court fined him RM6,000, in default six months jail, after he pleaded guilty to the offence.
He did not pay the fine and was sent to jail.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Zaki Mohd Salleh appeared for the prosecution, while the accused was unrepresented. — Bernama