Laila Harre on TVNZ: The Jimmy Mason case is a timely reminder that it’s no longer acceptable to assault children

June 10, 2009

TVNZ has posted Laila Harre’s reaction to the Jimmy Mason case on their web site.

She says:

The law is being used to bring people to account for child assault.  Under the previous law, parents could use the defence of “reasonable force” to correct the child. Juries were often convinced that quite vicious attacks on children were reasonable force.  We needed change the law to protect children from being punched in the face.  We’ve done that, a jury has convicted.

The judge will now have an opportunity to consider a sentence; the judge has indicated that he’s likely to get a non-custodial sentence.  He won’t be sent to prison, he’ll be sent to some kind of anger management class, and that’s exactly what this guy needs.  He needs advice on parenting without using physical discipline.  I think that this case is a timely reminder – it used to be acceptable to do this sort of thing, and it no longer is.

Watch the video!