A father in Singapore chained his 11-year-old son to a toilet fixture and left him alone for hours on end with some food and water.
The 53-year-old man did this to punish his son for lying, not doing his homework, and contacting his mother, who is divorced from the man.
The man was sentenced to two years in jail after pleading guilty to three charges of ill-treating his son, now 13.
One count of criminal intimidation was taken into consideration for his sentencing.
The man, a Grab driver, cannot be named to protect his son's identity.
Told son to cut off contact with mother
The man had gained custody of his son after divorcing his wife and lived with the boy.
He had told the boy to cut off contact with his mother, but later found out on Nov. 30, 2022, that he had been texting her.
The man became angry and slapped his son, causing a traumatic injury to his ear.
He then used a yellow rubber hose to hit his son on his upper arm, back, and left thigh, causing the victim to sustain multiple bruises.
The victim and his mother later reported the injuries to KK Women's and Children's Hospital.
The man admitted to causing the injuries and revealed that he had previously hit his son on other occasions.
Used metal chain to restrain son
Investigations later revealed that the man had used a metal chain to restrain his son on three occasions in 2022 as a form of punishment.
He would coil the chain two times around either his son's ankle or wrist and secure it to a fixed metal bar inside the toilet with a padlock.
He would then put a rubber hose between the chain and the boy's wrist or ankle so that he would not feel pain.
He then leaves his son with about one litre of water and food on a shelf for two to five hours while he goes to sleep or leaves the unit.
Admitted his wrongdoing
The man's defence sought 12 to 15 months in jail, saying that the man acknowledges his wrongdoing.
The prosecution on the other hand asked for a sentence of 28 to 31 months in jail.
They noted aggravating factors, such as the accused’s abuse of his position of trust as a parent, as well as the extensive injuries suffered by the boy.
Top photo from Canva