Suppression lifts on woman in hot poker assault case
Name suppression has lifted on a Fijian-Indian woman convicted of assaulting two boys with various household items, including burning one of their mouths with a hot spoon and poker.
The interim suppression order was lifted on 60-year-old Shahidan Nisha by Judge Alistair Garland today, even though the woman’s Christchurch District Court sentencing had to be delayed.
The sentencing has been put off to a date that is still to be finalised, in the next few weeks, so that defence counsel Richard Maze can make further inquiries.
Nisha remains in custody after being convicted on 27 charges at a jury trial in May. The charges involved assaults on the two boys over a long period, and a man aged in his 80s.
The Crown case was that the boys had been assaulted by being slapped, kicked, punched, and hit with sticks or household items. One boy gave evidence of a heated spoon and poker being used to burn his mouth, and being forced to chew hot chilli peppers.
The boy told the court of not being able to eat or drink for days after these punishments.
The elderly man did not give evidence at the trial because he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. A recorded interview with him was played to the jury.
The assaults took place in Christchurch.
The jury rejected the defence claim at trial that Nisha had been “stitched-up” by a “web of lies” being told by people she was trying to help. She admitted slapping one boy for discipline, for good reason, but denied the other assaults had taken place.
The jury convicted Nisha on 27 out of 29 charges in the indictment.
The date for the new sentencing should be set next Friday.
Category: News
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