A 22-year-old kindergarten teacher in China has reportedly confessed to pricking 63 students, aged between 3 and 6 years with a syringe as a method to discipline them.

Sun Qiqi, the accused, stood trial in a court in Yunnan province and was charged with the crime of endangering public safety with dangerous methods. The trial ended on Thursday without a verdict.

Prosecutors said Jianshui county police arrested Sun on Oct 27, 2009, after receiving complaints that she pricked her students with needles if they were disobedient or made too much noise during naptime.

The police found a 5-milliliter disposable syringe in Sun's desk, which was dotted with needle holes, the indictment said.

The police said Sun poked needles into her desk to frighten students, who were being naughty, the China Daily reports.

According to the police, Sun confessed to the crime but maintained she did not inject the students with any chemical.

A total of 24 students in Sun's class have been tested for HIV, and hepatitis B and C. None of the children have tested positive for any of the three diseases.

But the parents fear that their wards could have contracted other diseases. That apart, the incident has left the children psychologically scarred, which is bound to impact their future, they said. (ANI)