An Indian couple who hit their “difficult children” with a wooden spoon didn’t know their methods of discipline were inappropriate, a court was told.
Both parents from Aberdeenshire had admitted three charges of assault between them.
But the husband and wife left Aberdeen Sheriff Court unpunished after the sheriff agreed there were “cultural differences” between what’s acceptable in the UK and India.
The pair were admonished – meaning they’ll have criminal records for the convictions but no penalties – because parenting methods in their culture “differ greatly” to the UK.
An investigation was launched after one of their children told a teacher that she’d been hit with a wooden spoon.
The children, aged between 9 and 12, were briefly taken to live with other family members before being returned home.
Fiscal depute Sean Ambrose said that, in April last year, a child told her teacher that she and her sister “had been hit with a wooden spoon at home”.
The next day, the head teacher contacted social workers and police were also involved.
Kids hid spoons to avoid being hit
One child told police that her parents would “often raise wooden spoons in a threatening manner towards them”.
The children would “often hide wooden spoons to prevent them from being hit”.
After getting separated from her family on a walk, one of the children returned home and was repeatedly hit with a spoon on her elbow and hands.
The wooden spoon was again used for punishment when one of the children damaged a window at the family home.
On another occasion, one of the children was slapped on her arm by her father as she played on her phone, causing her to fall over.
Her father then grabbed her jumper and lifted her up, causing the top to rip.
Mr Ambrose said: “A decision was made for the children to be removed from the family home and left in the care of other family members while investigations were carried out.”
‘Social work have no concerns’
In a police interview, the mother “admitted hitting the children to correct indiscipline in their behaviour”.
She also said her partner would strike the children “as a form of discipline”.
He then admitted striking the children and “raising his hand to scare them as a form of discipline”.
The mother admitted one charge of assaulting her daughter on various occasions with a wooden spoon.
The father admitted two charges of assault, repeatedly striking one child with his hand, pulling her clothing and hitting her with a wooden spoon, and repeatedly striking another child with his hand and a wooden spoon.
Defence agent Liam Mcallister, acting on behalf of the mother, said the children were returned to the care of their parents “within a matter of days”.
He added: “Social work have absolutely no concerns about their parenting. In fact, they go further than that.
‘Children in a loving environment’
“What they confirm is that these children are supported in a very loving environment.
“It’s important to stress my client has never physically injured or harmed her children.
“She used the wooden spoon in a way that did not, in any way, cause injury.
“It was used as a method of discipline of difficult children in difficult and trying circumstances.”
Mr Mcallister added: “What they have accepted is that use of the spoon as discipline is inappropriate. They understand there are other parenting methods open to them”.
He said the mother was “horrified, mortified and ashamed” over the matter.
Solicitor Andrew Ormiston, representing the father, echoed Mr Mcallister’s comments and told the court: “He is extremely sorry.”
Sheriff Leslie Johnston acknowledged the “cultural differences” and said: “You have both been brought up in a culture where methods of disciplining children differ greatly to the UK.”
She admonished both parents, meaning the conviction goes on their record but they do not face any further punishment.
For all the latest court cases in Aberdeen as well as crime and breaking incidents, join our Facebook group.
