Primary School Teacher Sentenced to Prison for Injuring First Grader with Book

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Put on trial for having injured a first grader with a book at a primary school in Esenler, İstanbul, teacher N.D. had his final hearing today (November 6).

While N.D. did not attend the hearing at Bakırköy 29th Penal Court of First Instance, the mother of student H.S.S. and her lawyer were present at court.

The lawyer of of the aggrieved student indicated that as the book was used as a weapon and the crime was committed against a child under supervision, the defendant should be given the highest penalty foreseen by the law.

'Prison sentence cannot be less than 5 years'

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), the court ruled that the teacher should be sentenced to 1 year in prison on charge of "willful actual bodily harm" and his prison sentence should be increased to 1 year, 6 months as the offense in question was committed with a book.

Indicating that the child was injured in such a way that it left marks on his face, the court has emphasized that the related act cannot be penalized for less than five years. Accordingly, the court first increased his prison sentence to five years on charge of "aggravated injury based upon its consequences". The court has then reduced the prison sentence to 4 years, 2 months "considering his good conduct in the hearings." (DB/SD)