Former nurse jailed 16 weeks for punching and kicking nursing home resident out of anger

• Flores Alvin Jay Vargas worked at All Saints Home in Jurong East
• He grew angry when a wheelchair-bound resident kept asking for a knife and pressed bells for help
• He later tried to get his colleague to cover up his assault
• His lawyer said he was deeply remorseful and realised his mistake

SINGAPORE — A 36-year-old former nurse at All Saints Home in Jurong East was sentenced to 16 weeks’ jail on Wednesday (Dec 23), after pleading guilty to assaulting a wheelchair-bound resident of the nursing home.

Flores Alvin Jay Vargas had grown angry over the victim’s actions, which included throwing a tantrum over a knife and repeatedly pressing bells for help. The victim had suffered brain trauma from a road traffic accident in 2017.

Flores punched the 67-year-old man on his chest a few times and kicked him on the side of his body.

The Filipino nurse admitted to one charge of causing hurt to the victim. 

The incident happened on May 25 last year, the court heard. The victim had asked for a knife to cut an apple, but a nursing aid staff said she could not give him one.

The victim threw a tantrum, repeatedly pressing the call bell on the wall behind his bed, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Niranjan Ranjakunalan told the court.

Flores tried to explain why they could not give him a knife, but the victim continued pressing the call bell. When the nursing aid tried to turn it off, he began pressing the handheld staff assist bell.

Flores attempted to pull it away from the victim, who pulled at Flores’ shirt and tore it.

At that point, the nurse saw red. He punched the victim, who was still on his bed, on his chest and kicked him as well as the bed frame.

The nursing aid and another colleague told him to stop.

Following the incident, Flores sent a message to the nursing aid, telling her not to divulge what had happened. The nursing aid then gave a false statement to the police, claiming she did not see Flores punching the victim.

Two days after the assault, the victim’s older brother visited him and learned about what had happened. He then lodged a police report at Bukit Panjang Neighbourhood Police Centre.

A doctor at the nursing home examined the victim later that day. He was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital at his brother’s request.

A medical report stated that there was “suspicion of crack fractures” at the victim’s ribs. He was hospitalised for seven days before being transferred to Jurong Community Hospital for rehabilitation.

The hospital doctor later clarified that he could not be certain if there was truly a fracture, though he suspected there was.

NOT MOMENTARY LOSS OF TEMPER: JUDGE

DPP Niranjan, who sought the sentence imposed, cited several aggravating factors. These include the victim being vulnerable due to his condition and age, and Flores taking steps to avoid detection.

His actions also undermined public confidence in the administration of healthcare or eldercare services in Singapore, the prosecutor argued.

In mitigation, Flores’ lawyer Rajendra Prasad said he was deeply remorseful and realised his mistake. He is the sole breadwinner of his family back in the Philippines, which includes his child, the lawyer added.

In sentencing Flores, District Judge Jasvender Kaur said that nursing home patients may “sometimes be challenging”. However, they should be safe and cared for by nurses who will keep their interests front and centre at all times, she added.

“This was not a case where there was a single punch that might be said or attributed to momentary loss of temper,” the judge noted.

For causing hurt, Flores could have been jailed for up to two years or fined up to S$5,000, or both.