Court Shocker: Stepfather Jailed 6 Months Over Vicious Abuse of 7-Year-Old

A 34-year-old ambulance driver has been sentenced to six months in prison for the cruel abuse of his seven-year-old stepson, which included beating, biting, and burning the child with a hot iron.

The man, who was convicted before the Children’s Court on 7 November 2025, also received a Rs 20,000 fine.

The magistrate ruled that the abuse, committed between 2018 and 2019, was a “grave error of judgement” and a “total disregard for the duty of protection,” dismissing the stepfather’s claims he was merely attempting to “discipline” the child.

Horrific Injuries Detailed in Court

The ambulance driver, a resident of Roche-Bois, was convicted on five counts of “ill-treatment of child” under the Child Protection Act.

Evidence presented via a Form 58 during the trial highlighted the horrifying nature of the abuse, detailing the boy’s injuries.

These included burn scars, skin lesions on the chest, multiple bruises, and nail marks on the face and right thigh.

The court heard that the abuse involved the man using a belt to strike the child, biting him, and, on one occasion, bringing a hot iron close to the boy while he was struggling, resulting in burns to his stomach and back.

Other alleged assaults were recounted as the man attempted to “frighten” or “punish” the boy, often in the mother’s absence.

The abuse reportedly began shortly after the man moved in with the child and his mother, whom he met on Facebook in September 2018.

Plea Change and Judicial Scrutiny

The accused initially pleaded not guilty in February 2024. Despite the child retracting his statement in court in January 2025, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) proceeded with the trial, arguing that the retraction did not justify halting the procedures.

The man eventually pleaded guilty to the charges in September 2025, apologising and promising not to repeat such acts.

In her judgement, Magistrate Kadampanavasini Sockalingum-Juwaheer noted that the abuse constituted a “grave breach of the trust the child had placed in the accused, who represented a paternal figure to him.”

She stressed that while the man claimed he wanted to correct or guide the minor, “legal and human means were at his disposal,” and the choice of physical violence was unacceptable.

The six-month sentence was delivered concurrently for two of the cruelty charges, with the total fine of Rs 20,000 covering the remaining three charges.

Source: Defi Media