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Fiona Chow

A domestic helper who admitted to slapping her employer’s eight-year-old daughter while serving dinner was given a three-year bind-over order by a Hong Kong court on condition of good behaviour after an assault charge against her was dropped.
Eastern Court on Monday heard that Linne Pramis Pesimo, 48, slapped the girl once as she refused to eat her meal on March 20. The girl’s mother, a single parent, was resting in a bedroom at their Wan Chai home at the time of the assault.
After being hit, the girl rushed to her mother’s room and sought help. The mother reported the case to police the following day.
Hospital doctors found redness on the girl’s right cheek.
Pesimo was later charged with a count of assault by those in charge of a child or young person.
Prosecutors told Principal Magistrate David Cheung Chi-wai that they had confirmed with the victim’s mother that the charge would be withdrawn.
Cheung warned the defendant not to commit any criminal acts of a similar nature during the bind-over period, or she would have to pay HK$2,000 (US$255) and could face a more severe penalty.
Pesimo, who was sacked after the incident, agreed to the bind-over order.
The bind-over money, known as recognisance, is an amount a defendant promises to pay if she breaks the law again during the term of the order.
According to the Department of Justice, a court can make a bind-over order when the parties involved have reconciled, and it is also “appropriate as an alternative to prosecution if the case is minor”.
There has been growing awareness of child protection in Hong Kong in recent years, culminating in the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance being passed in January.
Under the law, professionals in the social welfare, education and medical sectors are required to report suspected maltreatment of those aged under 18 or face penalties of up to three months in jail and a fine of HK$50,000.
The Legislative Council pledged in April to conduct a “comprehensive review” of the pre-existing legislation relating to child protection, including increasing the maximum 10-year prison term for child abuse offences.
The maximum penalty for such offences was last increased from two years in 1995.


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Hong Kong

Law and Crime

Hong Kong court imposes three-year good behaviour bond for assault charge after helper slapped girl for refusing to eat her dinner


Hong Kong court imposes three-year good behaviour bond for assault charge after helper slapped girl for refusing to eat her dinner.


Foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong

Hong Kong society

HK$2,000 bind-over for helper who slapped employer’s 8-year-old child during meal

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Hong Kong court imposes three-year good behaviour bond for assault charge after helper slapped girl for refusing to eat her dinner

Hong Kong court imposes three-year good behaviour bond for assault charge after helper slapped girl for refusing to eat her dinner