The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 35-year-old mother was conditionally discharged yesterday after admitting to injuring her 15-year-old daughter because the girl lied about how she got to the movies last Saturday.

Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans charged the woman, whose name is being withheld to protect the teen’s identity, with cruelty to children.

The defendant reportedly beat her daughter with a wire on April 20 after the girl lied about who took her to the movies.

The girl received injuries to her eye, lips, shoulder and arm. She reportedly could not open her left eye and had a swollen lip when she woke up the following day.

When questioned by police, the defendant admitted to the offence but told officers that she did not intend to injure her daughter.

After the woman pleaded guilty yesterday, her lawyer, Mark Penn, told the magistrate his client is a mother of three and had no priors offences. He said before the beating incident, the defendant agreed to let her daughter go to the movies with a specific friend.

He said problems arose when the girl did not come home at curfew and that when the mother investigated the matter, the friend said she did not drop the girl to the movies.

Mr Penn said when his client went to the movies to find her daughter, she saw the girl dancing in the street with friends. This prompted her to break her daughter’s phone after she became angry.

He said when the mother and child returned home that night, his client tried to discipline the girl for lying. He said his client accidentally hit the girl in the face with a USB cord when the child suddenly turned to face her.

Mr Penn said his client was embarrassed by the charge.

The mother then told the magistrate she mistakenly thought the daughter’s friend’s father would pick her up.

She said matters escalated because her daughter continued lying after they discussed the matter.

Magistrate Evans admonished the daughter, who came to court wearing sunglasses, for lying and staying out after her mother expected her home. However, the magistrate also said the mother chose the wrong object to discipline her daughter.

As part of her conditional discharge, the defendant must attend parenting classes. Additionally, the mother, daughter and the child’s father, who was present in court, must attend family counselling.

The defendant will return to court for a report on July 29.

Inspector S Coakley served as the prosecutor.