Pilot jailed for throwing brick down from HDB block, damaging police car
When approached by TODAY, a Scoot spokesperson said: “Scoot is aware of this case involving one of our pilots. Scoot does not condone unlawful conduct by any employee, and we will handle this case according to our internal policies.”
SINGAPORE — After having drinks with some colleagues, a Scoot pilot took a private-hire vehicle home to Sengkang and saw a police car parked near the rubbish chute.
Chen Junrong found a concrete brick, took the lift up to an unknown floor and threw the brick down, causing more than S$2,700 worth of damage to the car.
The 31-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of mischief and has since made full restitution for the damages.
He was sentenced to four weeks’ jail on Wednesday (March 25) but will begin serving his sentence on April 1. He has also been allowed to leave the country in the meantime to fly to multiple destinations if his job requires.
The court heard that on Aug 5, 2018, Chen went for drinks with two colleagues at a bar, then drank some more at a second location with another colleague.
Around midnight, he took a Grab car to his home along Sengkang East Way.
He then saw a police car there with no officers in it — they were on the 11th floor of the Housing and Development Board (HDB) block of flats at the time.
Chen went to a garden at the bottom of the block, took a brick measuring about 24cm in length and 16cm in breadth, and took the lift to an unknown floor.
After throwing the brick at the police car, he returned home to sleep. The car bonnet was dented from the impact.
The police officers checked on their car when they heard a loud sound and found that it was damaged. They proceeded to arrest Chen at 5am that morning.
‘HIGHLY UNCHARACTERISTIC INCIDENT’: LAWYER
Deputy Public Prosecutor Michelle Tay sought at least two months’ jail, saying it was “only fortunate that no passersby were injured”.
“The accused’s voluntary intoxication should in no way give him licence to cause property damage to a police vehicle on a whim, without cause or provocation, and he must be held to the full consequences of his offending behaviour,” the prosecutor added.
In mitigation, Chen’s lawyer Kalidass Murugaiyan, who sought either a high fine or a short detention order, said this was a “highly uncharacteristic one-off momentary incident”.
Offenders given short detention orders will spend a short time behind bars but will not have a criminal record when they are released.
Mr Murugaiyan told the court that Chen had been having celebratory drinks with friends that evening, having recently been promoted to first officer. Scoot has deemed him fit to continue flying, the lawyer added.
“The career as a commercial pilot is undoubtedly a profession demanding utmost responsibility, considering the lives at stake. This sense of responsibility is consistent with our client’s clean criminal record — he has thus far been an upstanding individual,” the lawyer said.
If Chen were to be jailed, he would likely be fired and not be allowed to fly again, added Mr Murugaiyan.
When approached by TODAY, a Scoot spokesperson said: “Scoot is aware of this case involving one of our pilots. Scoot does not condone unlawful conduct by any employee, and we will handle this case according to our internal policies.”
Chen could have been jailed up to two years, fined or both.
