Duo In Child Neglect Case To Hear Fate Next Week

A High Court judge on Thursday adjourned sentencing for a child abuse case until next week, after describing the victim as a "Cinderella child but without a fairytale ending".

The case involved 10-year-old Suki Wong who suffered brain damage three years ago and has been in a vegetative state ever since. Her mother, Mandy Wong, was this week convicted of child neglect.

During a mitigation hearing on Thursday, the 42-year-old woman's lawyer suggested that the daughter may have been suffering from anorexia after she was traumatised due to physical abuse.

Judge Kevin Zervos then asked why this suggestion was not raised by the defence during the trial.

He said there is clear evidence that the girl suffered from serious starvation and was deprived of medical attention.

He described the victim – who was living with her mother and stepfather – as a "Cinderella" child who was left isolated, unwanted, being picked on and with nobody to turn to. Unlike Cinderella, however, there was no fairytale ending for the young girl, Zervos said.

The girl's stepfather, Rocky Ling, and the mother were both found guilty of perverting the course of justice after they lied to the authorities about what had happened to the child.

Ling's lawyer said his 52-year-old client was very sorry about what had happened and he had no knowledge of how serious the child's condition had been.