A woman who inflicted an extreme punishment regime on her grandson and made him sleep on the floor and stand for hours has avoided serving jail time because of ill-health.
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The teenager suffered physically and psychologically in an atmosphere of "fear and apprehension" and was isolated from outside support.
He was made to sleep on the floor and stand in his room with his hands on his head wearing little or no clothing, on one occasion for 14 hours in one day.
The woman, who pleaded guilty to one count of ill-treating a child, was sentenced to two years' jail in the Supreme Court of Tasmania in Hobart.
However, the sentence was fully suspended because of a serious illness which has left her virtually home-bound and "likely to die" within two years.
Justice Robert Pearce said a community correction order or home detention would serve no purpose given there was very little chance of the woman re-offending.
He said a jail sentence was warranted for general deterrence but actual imprisonment would be more onerous on the woman than a person without her health issues.
CCTV from the boy's room captured ill-treatment over seven days in 2016.
It showed him in "obvious distress", as well as the woman pulling his hair, causing bruising and swelling.
He often stood in a nappy and at one point collapsed.
Justice Pearce said the woman developed an "extreme punishment regime designed to enforce a set of detailed and prescriptive rules".
"She subjected ... (the boy) to what must have been, for him, extreme and damaging psychological and physical torment," Justice Pearce said.
The woman's conduct was not initially motivated by gratuitous cruelty but evolved from a situation where she became completely unable to cope with the demands of caring, he said.
"(This) led to an almost complete loss of perspective and judgment about what was right and wrong," Justice Pearce said.
The woman had not expressed remorse and her police interview demonstrated "little insight" into the seriousness of the allegations against her.
The prosecution alleged the punishment regime existed for almost nine months.
The woman was charged in 2016 but the case stalled when she was placed in palliative care.
In 2019, the prosecution became aware her health had not deteriorated as expected and she re-appeared in court in 2023.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
Australian Associated Press
