The former Timaru woman who was acquitted in court of assault after she disciplining her son with a riding crop was visited by her six-foot 16-year old son in January. While on the access visit, he kicked his stepfather in the head and broke his mothers nose. The last time the mothers nose was boken was when she was assaulted by an ex-husband who was charged with assault. However the police have not laid assault charges against the boy, despite his parents pressing for this.

His mother had access rights after her son was told to live with his father because she was deemed an unsafe parent by Child, Youth and Family after disciplined her 14-year- old with the riding crop. As well as breaking his mothers nose, and kicking his stepfather in the head with his size 15 shoes, he repeatedly swore and spat at them both.The stepfather had to physically restrain the boy, and pull the punching and swearing boy off his mother. The mother physically disciplined him and his stepfather tied his feet together to stop him from kicking him in the head again, before calling the police, who handcuffed the swearing boy and took him away.

Now, this mother along with her husband is facing an assault charge laid last month after the boy went to CYFS the following week. This boy is a brat. Since living with his father he has had free access to alcohol and party pills and, according to his mother, has been breaking into cars and has appeared before the youth court on 13 charges.

Due to the charges, CYFS Dunedin manager Peter Guest has now stopped the younger sons unsupervised access to his mum.He did this just two days before the holidays, without even telling the boy. The boy was going to stay with his mum this week. Instead he found out from his mother that he is to stay with his grandmother, who was the approved CYFS caregiver that physically disciplined the boy and gave him anti-psychotic drugs Risperdal and Ritalin to contro his behaviour.

Guest is also trying to take the woman's daughter away from her. The mother has complained to the police and laid charges of assault against her son but has been told that she has to prove that she was assaulted before the police would do anything. This is despite the fact that CYFS did not have to prove charges against the parent, and that case is before the courts.

Both parents have been receiving ACC for their injuries.

ENDS

Deaf Ears: Speaker On Support For Mojo Mathers

Scoop Audio: In a press conference this afternoon Speaker Lockwood Smith defended his handling of requests for support for profoundly deaf MP Mojo Mathers' participation in Parliament, and said he was "deeply concerned" by the way the issue had been portrayed.

Earlier today the Greens said they had been told they would have to fund support Mathers requires out of their own budget. More>>