Five men, aged between 25 and 61, will be charged in court on 13 March 2020 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 brief details of the cases are as follows:
a. On 14 October 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 under Section 332 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224.
b. On 18 May 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 pointed his middle finger at them. He was promptly 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 under Section 332 and Section 353 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224 respectively, as well as making abusive communication against a public servant punishable under Section 6(3) of the Protection from Harassment Act, Chapter 256A.
c. On 22 June 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 promptly subdued and arrested. He also allegedly attempted 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 under Section 332 and Section 353 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224 respectively. For attempting to bite the Police officer during the arrest, he will also be charged with attempting to voluntarily cause hurt to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty under Section 332 read with Section 511 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224.
d. On 27 September 2019, a 30-year-old man was alleged to have grabbed the shirt collar of a Certis Cisco Traffic Enforcement officer when the latter was performing parking enforcement duty along Geylang Lorong 16. His friend, a 31-year-old man, was believed to have then pushed and head-butted the officer. On 22 November 2019, the 30-year-old man was also reported to have used threatening behaviour towards a doctor (a public service worker) at Ng Teng Fong Hospital, when seeking treatment. The 30-year-old man will be charged with using criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty under Section 353 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224, and using threatening behaviour against a public service worker punishable under Section 6(3) of the Protection from Harassment Act, Chapter 256A. The 31-year-old man will be charged with using criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty under Section 353 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224.
Anyone convicted of using abusive or threatening communication or behaviour against a public servant or public service worker punishable under Section 6(3) of the Protection from Harassment Act shall be punished with an imprisonment term not exceeding 12 months, or a fine not exceeding $5,000, or both. The offence of using criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty under Section 353 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224 is punishable with an imprisonment 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 under Section 332 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224 is punishable with an imprisonment term which may extend to seven years, a fine, or caning, provided that in exceptional circumstances imprisonment need not be imposed.
The Police note with concern the increase in the number of cases involving the assault/abuse of public servants over the past years. Last year, 399 cases were recorded, an increase of about 10% from the year before. The Police have 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.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
12 March 2020 @ 3:30 PM