The trial of a woman accused of badly beating her 9-year-old adopted son began at a district court in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, yesterday.

Prosecutors allege that on March 31 this year Li Zhengqin, 50, used a back-scratcher and skipping-rope to beat the boy she accused of lying, cheating in an exam and not finishing his homework. Police were called on April 2 when the boy showed up at school with bruises all over his body.

At Pukou District People's Court yesterday, Li said: "I didn't commit crime. I disagree with the charge.

"Yes, I beat him but I didn't injury him so badly. I meant to educate him not to hurt him."

She told the court her son had boasted about getting a first in an exam but later admitted that he had cheated.

Enraged, she beat the boy on his back and leg.

She said she didn't check his injuries as he was wearing cotton-padded clothes and didn't show signs he was in any pain.

"He didn't go to kindergarten before he was six. He has formed many bad habits. I have tried to correct him. But he was still accustomed to tell lies. I was so worried that he would be bad when he grows up," Li told the court.

She said the boy couldn't have been injured as badly as was being claimed and said she suspected the police of making up the injury report.

She also said teachers at the school were "taking revenge" as she didn't get along with them.

Several teachers told the court it wasn't the first time they had found bruises on the boy.

His class teacher, surnamed Gong, said: "In May and June, 2014, I saw bruises on his face. He told me that his mother beat him with stick because he hadn't finished his homework."

The trial is continuing.

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