Magistrate Shamshol Azwa Martadza handed down the sentence to Tan Seow Yen, 35, for causing hurt to L Vanitha, 38, at a national-type Chinese school in Sungai Bakap at 5.15pm on Feb 2, 2015.

In his verdict, Shamshol said the sentence was handed down after the defence failed to raise reasonable doubt in their case.

In trial today, Tan’s lawyer Mohd Ismail Mohamed said his client’s “motherly instincts” caused her to “react” in such a way towards Vanitha.

Ismail argued that Tan only slapped Vanitha because her 10-year-old son complained that the teacher had allegedly pinched him for being slow in class. Vanitha is the boy’s Bahasa Malaysia teacher.

He also appealed to the court to impose only a fine on Tan and not a jail term as his client had to care for three children aged 8 to 14 and was a stay-at-home mom.

Deputy public prosecutor Afiq Nazrin Zaharinan however argued that the court should hand down the stiffest penalty possible as Tan’s action was “immoral”.

Afiq said the court should punish Tan so that society at large was aware that it is wrong to slap anyone at will.

After the sentence was handed down to the accused, a teary-eyed Vanitha told reporters that “justice was served”. She also denied pinching Tan’s son.

Tan, on the other hand, was expressionless when the verdict was read out to her. She was led off in handcuffs by court bailiffs.

Last week, Tan sounded off journalists for taking her photo outside the courthouse.

Tan’s lawyer told reporters he would appeal.