❒ Accused of punishing son with fire

A father who seemingly sought to discipline his child by lighting a stove and placing the youngster's hand in the flame is booked to reappear in court next month.

The accused man who appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday is expected to return on May 25 to answer to the charge of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.

reasonable discretion

Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey questioned if the accused man was "of sound mind and reasonable discretion" after hearing the clerk of the court reading the brief allegation they had listed in the case.

The man's lawyer responded that his client did not seem mentally handicapped.

Attempts to get further details on the case were unsuccessful as the clerk of the court said that there was no case file present for the matter. Checks with the Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse and several other police stations turned up no familiarity with the case.

The matter returns to the Corporate Area Resident Magis-trate's Court on May 25 at which time the medical report on the child's injuries should be ready.

Bail for the accused was extended until the new mention date posted.