In the sessions court, Rony Abraham, 37, was sentenced to three years’ jail by judge Sabri Ismail for voluntarily causing hurt to his wife, Nazifah Salleh, 38, by placing a lighted cigarette on her right arm and near her eye. He also hit her on the cheek and body.

He was charged under Section 324 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 326A, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years or a fine or caning, or any two of them.

In the magistrates’ court, Abraham was charged with hitting his wife, punching his 13-year-old daughter in the mouth until she bled and kicking the back of his son, aged 12.

Magistrate Sharda Shenha Suleiman sentenced him to two years in prison on each of the three charges, but ordered the sentences to run concurrently.

The three charges were framed under Section 323 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 326A, which carries a two-year prison sentence with a fine of RM2,000, or both.

All the offences were committed at a house in Bukit Tempayan, Tanjung Kling, Melaka Tengah, between 7am and 11am on Oct 17.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutors Nazrin Ali Rahim and Fiqri Hakim Zamri urged for a deterrent sentence as the offences committed were serious.

“The accused should be protecting his wife and children, not causing them serious injuries,” said Fiqri.

Abraham, who was unrepresented, appealed for a lenient sentence, stating that he had repented and had children to support.

According to the facts of the case, the accused was furious when his wife did not buy him cigarettes and started hurting her with a lighted cigarette before proceeding to hit his two children.