Five men to be charged with abusing, attacking public servants, doctor in separate cases
The five men will be charged in court on Friday (March 13) for four separate cases of using criminal force, voluntarily causing hurt, and using abusive or threatening communication or behaviour against public servants and a public service worker.
SINGAPORE — One man had allegedly thrown a cigarette box at police officers before head-butting one of them. Another man is suspected of using threatening behaviour against a doctor at the Ng Teng Fong Hospital when seeking treatment.
These men — along with three others in a series of unrelated incidents — will be charged in court on Friday (March 13) for four separate cases of using criminal force, voluntarily causing hurt, and using abusive or threatening communication or behaviour against public servants and a public service worker.
The men are all aged between 25 and 61.
INCREASE IN CASES
In its statement on Thursday, the police said that they are concerned with the increase in the number of cases involving the assault or abuse of public servants in the last year.
In 2019, 399 cases were recorded. That is about a 10 per cent increase from the year before.
The police said that they have a zero tolerance towards acts of violence or abuse against public servants and public service workers who are carrying out their duties.
“Perpetrators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
CASE 1
On Oct 14, 2018, a 61-year-old man was alleged to have kicked a police officer after he was approached for a spot-check at Paya Lebar MRT Station.
He was promptly subdued and arrested.
The man will be charged with voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty.
CASE 2
On May 18, 2019, a 25-year-old man was reported to be drunk and refused to pay his taxi fare.
When police officers attended to the incident along Pasir Ris Drive 3, he was alleged to have thrown a cigarette box at the officers and made a vulgar gesture at them.
He was subdued and arrested. He was also alleged to have head-butted another officer while under police escort after his arrest.
The man will be charged with voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty and using criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty.
He will also be charged with making abusive communication against a public servant.
CASE 3
On June 22, 2019, a 29-year-old man was alleged to have kicked and spat at police officers at Orchard Towers when they attended to him while he was drunk and lying on the floor.
He was later arrested. He is also reported to have tried to bite a police officer during the arrest.
For kicking and spitting at the police officers, the man will be charged with voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty and using criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty.
For trying to bite the officer, he will also be charged with attempting to voluntarily cause hurt to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty.
CASE 4
On Sept 27, 2019, a 30-year-old man was alleged to have grabbed the shirt collar of a Certis Cisco traffic enforcement officer when he was on duty along Geylang Lorong 16.
The 31-year-old male friend of the man was believed to have then pushed and head-butted the officer.
On Nov 22, 2019, the 30-year-old was reported to have used threatening behaviour towards a doctor at Ng Teng Fong Hospital when seeking treatment.
He will be charged with using criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty and using threatening behaviour against a public service worker.
His 31-year-old friend will be charged with using criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty.
DO THE CRIME, PAY THE TIME
The police said that anyone convicted of using abusive or threatening communication or behaviour against a public servant or a public service worker can be punished with a jail term of up to 12 months, or be fined up to S$5,000, or both.
It added that the offence of using criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty is punishable with a jail term which may extend to four years, or a fine, or both.
The offence of voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty is punishable with a jail term of up to seven years, a fine or caning, except in exceptional circumstances where imprisonment need not be imposed.
