[Photo by Liu Junfeng/For China Daily]

The father of a 13-year-old boy has been ordered to return "red pocket money" given to his son, according to a local court in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province, on Thursday.

The son, surnamed Su, took his father to court after discovering his bank account, in which he had saved 3,000 yuan ($442) of red pocket money between 2014 and 2015, had been emptied in March 2016.

The father argued however that the money was mostly given by his side of the family. He said that the boy's mother, whom he had divorced years ago, was taking advantage of a change in custody arrangements to take the money for herself.

Su's mother was awarded custody of her son in April 2016 and has lived with him since.

According to the court ruling, red pocket money belongs to the recipient regardless of his or her age. Although parents are entitled to help children manage their money, they are not allowed to spend or otherwise use the money without their children's consent.

The court therefore ruled in favor of the son and asked the father to give back 3,045 yuan, including interest.

Red pocket money is usually given in cash by senior members of families to the young during Chinese New Year as a token of good luck.