An elderly man who believes the Bible allowed him to discipline his son with an alkathene pipe has been warned he could go to jail.

The man, who has interim name suppression to protect the identity of his school-age son, was to be sentenced in New Plymouth District Court yesterday but Judge Allan Roberts postponed the sentencing till March 19 and called for a new probation report after he was told the man now accepted he must change his ways.

At an earlier hearing, the man pleaded guilty to two charges of assaulting a child and assault with a blunt instrument between November 1 and December 7.

Yesterday, his lawyer, Paul Keegan, made impassioned and extensive pleas. "My client has resorted to the physical discipline only after a high level of provocation." The boy had stolen $1100 from his father and flashed it around school. He had also solicited donations in what was a sophisticated fraud for a boy of his age.

The father had been at his wits' end with his son's behaviour. The boy suffered no injuries and the father had made an early guilty plea, Mr Keegan said.

The boy had been taken from his care by Child, Youth and Family, causing his client a tremendous amount of sadness.

The case also had a political and social background, Mr Keegan said.

The premise of spare the rod and spoil the child came from the Bible and was the traditional belief of many who still believed in physical punishment and that the state should not interfere in the way children should be brought up.

It would take society a long time to make the change, Mr Keegan said.

The judge countered that he would have no compunction in jailing a man who assaulted his wife in the same way.

"This involves kicking and hitting with an alkathene pipe," the judge said.

Mr Keegan said nuns at his boarding school had also used weapons, such as canes and straps, and would now face assault charges if they did the same today.

"I got caned but I never got kicked by my principal," the judge responded.

Judge Roberts said he was concerned that the father had told the probation officer that he would not change. The father had said: "I won't moderate my behaviour. I see no wrong in using violence."

Mr Keegan said his client's letter to the judge now acknowledged that the rules the father had been brought up with had all changed.

"I want the best for my family. I'm sure CYF will be able to advise and help us do that," the father wrote. Taranaki Daily News