Man forced children to plank for more than an hour

A man who forced two children to plank for more than an hour at a time has been found guilty of assault.

Seong Jim Yim, 53, forced them into the plank exercise position if he felt they had been disrespectful.

The children - a boy and a girl - were aged eight and 12 when the abuse began in January 2019, Dundee Sheriff Court was told.

Yim, from Crail in Fife, was ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work after admitting the offence.

He had claimed the core-strengthening exercise would be "beneficial" for them.

The court heard that if Yim felt the children were not doing it properly he would pull out a back scratcher and hit them with it.

Fiscal depute Alan Bell told the court that the girl had told a teacher about the abuse.

"She stated the situation was becoming worse," Mr Bell said.

"The boy said Yim told them to hold a plank position for an extended period of time - up to an hour - and said they would be struck.

"Due to the concerns raised, police were contacted. The boy told them he would be made to go into the plank position if Yim felt he had shown other people a lack of respect."

The court was told that when Yim was arrested, he said: "I wasn't meaning to hurt them. It was an exercise. It was what I believed in."

He added: "My intention wasn't to hurt them. It was beneficial. I didn't know it would hurt them."

Yim admitted assaulting the children on various occasions between 1 January 2019 and 14 April 2022.

He admitted repeatedly forcing them "to adopt a plank position for extended periods of time" and striking them on the body with a back scratcher.

Sheriff Gregor Murray rejected Yim's plea for an absolute discharge and told him: "You have pled guilty to a very serious charge."

The plank position, which resembles a press-up, with elbows directly beneath shoulders, legs stretched out behind, strengthens the abdomen.

Expert opinion varies, but adults are generally advised to hold a plank between 10 seconds and five minutes.