Teenager gets reformative training for punching secondary school student with knuckle duster
File photo of the State Courts in Singapore. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
SINGAPORE: A teenager who punched a 15-year-old student near his secondary school while wearing a black knuckle duster was sentenced to reformative training on Tuesday (Dec 27).
The offender, who has turned 18 but cannot be named as he was 17 at the time of the offences, was sentenced to at least 12 months' detention in a reformative training centre.
He had pleaded guilty previously to one charge each of voluntarily causing hurt by a dangerous weapon and having a knuckle duster in his possession.
Another three charges were taken into consideration.
The court heard that the victim left his secondary school with two other 15-year-old students on the morning of Dec 16, 2021.
While they were in the vicinity of the school, the offender confronted the group.
He asked "who is (victim's name")", and the victim identified himself.
The offender then took out a black knuckle duster from his pocket and wore it on his right hand before punching the victim with it.
He struck the victim's jaw and back, and the boy felt pain.
Investigations revealed that the accused had attacked the victim due to a prior incident which occurred between the victim and the accused's girlfriend.
One of the victim's friends called the police saying his friend had been beaten up by a "random" person with a knuckle duster and tattoos on his arms.
On Tuesday, the prosecutor said that the offender was found unsuitable for probation. Instead, he was found suitable for reformative training at level 2 intensity.
The reformative training suitability report found that he has "inadequate parental supervision and discipline" and associates mainly with anti-social peers.
He also "lacks association with pro-social peers and presented with behavioural traits that suggest an anti-social personality", particularly anti-social attitudes permissive of violence.
The judge addressed the teenager and told him that he hopes "at some point you will learn" and be reformed.
"When you come out, my hope for you is that you do not reoffend and that from now on, you lead a clean life," said the judge.
"Ok, your honour," responded the teen, who was remanded.
