Man gets three years’ jail for assaulting mother
Reuters file photo
SINGAPORE — He slapped and punched his mother, used a broom to hit her and poured scalding water on her twice, then left her bloodied and in pain as he took a nap.
When he awoke and saw her lying on the floor bloodied, Rajesh Panuu, 31, who is diagnosed with chronic schizophrenia, called for an ambulance.
Sentencing Rajesh to three years’ jail today (Oct 16), a district judge called on government agencies such as the police, the Ministry of Social and Family Development, and the Community Justice Centre (CJC) to do more to help mentally ill offenders.
District Judge (DJ) Mathew Joseph said greater inter-agency planning would help to reduce the risk of reoffending, adding that psychiatrists and counsellors should pitch in by coming up with emergency safety plans.
The court heard that on the morning of Nov 19 last year, Rajesh accused his mother, Narindar Kaur Darshan Singh, 62, of being noisy when she uses her walking frame. When he grabbed the walking frame and flung it away from her, Ms Kaur said she would call his uncle for help.
Rajesh reacted by slapping and punching his mother on her face and body several times, then threw her mobile phone onto the floor and unplugged the telephone in the house to prevent her from seeking help.
He then got a broom and struck Ms Kaur several times on her head, leg and body until the broom snapped.
When Ms Kaur, who was bleeding from her nose by then, tried to get away from him, Rajesh saw that she could walk without a walking frame and became enraged. He first hit her on the forehead with a plastic mug, then brought a knife before her and threatened to kill her.
He also slashed her on the arm twice, before leaving the room because he felt hungry.
While he was boiling some water to cook instant noodles, Rajesh was still seething in anger and poured the scalding water on his mother. He repeated the assault with a second pot of boiling water.
He then washed up and fell asleep in his room, leaving his mother in pain. When he woke up, he found his mother lying on the floor bloodied, and called for an ambulance.
Ms Kaur suffered deep burns on her face, chest, and right groin, laceration on her right forearm, acute haemorrhaging and a fractured finger. She was hospitalised for 33 days.
During sentencing today, DJ Joseph said Rajesh should “consider (himself) fortunate” as he was given a discounted sentence despite the serious violence inflicted on his mother.
The judge called for Rajesh to be counselled and given psychiatric assistance while serving his sentence to reduce the risk of re-offending.
Defence lawyer Sunil Sudheesan, who was appointed under the CJC’s enhanced Guidance for Plea Scheme, told reporters that his client has been admitted to the Institute of Mental Health more than 10 times, and has been seeking treatment sporadically.
