A Nigerian woman who broke a little girl's finger and left bruises all over her body after hitting her with sticks has been given a year's probation.

Comfort Eregbu, 37, and her husband Edmund, 51, from Glasgow, carried out regular beatings on the seven-year-old over a 16 month period.

Mr Eregbu was also put on probation for a year.

The couple also admitted assaulting a 10-year-old boy, in what they claimed were normal Nigerian punishments.

The offences came to light when the youngsters told teachers at their school.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that Mrs Eregbu, of Shettleston, also subjected another nine-year-old boy to the same sort of treatment while she looked after him.

At an earlier hearing she pleaded guilty to assaulting the three children, including fracturing the girl's thumb, between November 2007 and March 2009.
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It is accepted that the chastisement of children in Nigeria commonly follows the approach employed by the Eregbus

Iain Bradley Prosecutor

Her husband, a Nigerian lawyer, admitted assaulting the seven-year-old girl and ten-year-old boy during the same time.

The pair were originally charged with covering the children's bodies in pepper but prosecutors accepted their not guilty pleas to those charges.

Prosecutor Iain Bradley told the court that the couple came to the UK from Nigeria in January 2005.

The court heard that it was the young girl who first told teachers that she was being beaten by the Eregbus and showed them bruising on her right arm and thigh.

Mr Bradley said: "The girl spoke of regular beatings using belts, kitchen utensils such as wooden spoons and poles when she misbehaved."

The court was told that the girl had to have an operation to mend her broken thumb.
'Completely heartbroken'

After the seven-year-old reported the abuse, the other two boys admitted that they had suffered similar assaults.

Mr Bradley added: "It was evident that the couple preferred to follow what they asserted were Nigerian norms of punishment.

"It is accepted that the chastisement of children in Nigeria commonly follows the approach employed by the Eregbus."

Defence Advocate Paul Brown, representing Edmund Eregbu, told the court that his client was a "devoutly religious" man.

Mr Brown added: "The circumstances he now finds himself are a complete tragedy for him and he is completely heartbroken."

Mrs Eregbu's advocate Tony Lenehan added that his client was acting in a manner she had been shown as a child and thought she was doing right by the children.

Nigerian Parents in the UK are some of the worst ever, and that is why so many black boys rebel and join gangs.

Nigerian parents ( it is a known fact in medical and social welfare institutions ) usually beat their children so badly that sometimes you wonder if they LOVE their children. They lash out at them, scream at them and sometimes even use blunt objects to hurt them!!!

Mostly it is out of frustration and anger, but should we as responsible parents take out our temper tantrums on our own flesh and blood ?

This is despicable and pathetic and becoming a real problem in London.

Nigerian Parents, get your act together and discipline your children with LOVE.

Smacking is allowed but not whipping and lashing out at them as if they are criminals.

Clear case of abuse. You can beat ur child not abuse him or her. I find it hard to even beat my nephews and nieces when they do wrong. It has to be under extreme circumstance. My verbal scolding is enough.