Jail for man who hit girlfriend's daughter and mum who watched

A man who slapped and hit his girlfriend's 11-year-old daughter with a leather belt while the child's mother stood by and watched was sentenced on Sept 17.

- Nadine Chua

The man was sentenced to a year's jail while the victim's mother was handed a 10-month sentence.

The couple, both 36, cannot be named to protect the victim's identity.

In August, the man admitted to one charge of ill-treating the victim, who has special needs, under the Children and Young Persons Act, while the woman pleaded guilty to knowingly permitting the abuse.

In sentencing the couple on Sept 17, District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan said the girl, who initially shared a close relationship with the man and even called him "Daddy", suffered extensive injuries and had nightmares about the abuse.

The judge said she was especially vulnerable due to her special needs.

She has high-functioning autism, mild fluency disorder, dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.