Sad family's 'happy days'

A father convicted of murdering his five-year-old daughter believed corporal punishment could make children more disciplined, his lawyer says in mitigation.

The defense also presented photos and messages in court to support the argument that the family had happy days.

A jury of three men and four women unanimously convicted the father of murder and reached a six-to-one guilty verdict for the stepmother on Tuesday. The couple had pleaded guilty to two counts of child abuse.

The jurors also found the girl's step-grandmother guilty on two counts of neglect by a vote of six to one but cleared her on two counts of ill-treatment.

High court judge Albert Wong Sung-hau has set sentencing for Tuesday and the three defendants were remanded.

The girl and her eight-year-old brother both suffered more than 130 wounds, and the girl eventually died of sepsis on January 6, 2018.

During the hearing yesterday, Alex Ng Ching-wong, who represented the father, did not make a mitigation plea on the murder charge.

But on the two child abuse charges, Ng said the father did not abuse the girl for personal satisfaction, and he only wanted to make her disciplined and obedient. He added that the father did not realize the seriousness of the abuse until the girl died.

Ng also said the father did not beat the girl severely each time, and the serious injuries on her bodies were caused by repeated punishments.

But he still hoped the court could deduct onethird of the term.

The stepmother's lawyer, Caesar Lo Chi-Lam, said his client pleaded guilty to manslaughter before the trial, showing her remorse.

Lo added that the couple only wanted to discipline the siblings.

Old photos and messages also showed the family used to have a happy life when the stepmother and father got married, Lo said.

Barrister Poon Chi-ming, who represented the step-grandmother, said his client had a car accident in 2012, and has been receiving psychotherapy since.