Eight Charged For Abusive And Irresponsible Behaviour Relating To Flouting Of Safe Distancing Measures

Seven men and one woman, aged between 23 and 76, were charged in court on 15 May 2020 for abusive and irresponsible behaviour relating to the flouting of safe distancing measures during the COVID-19 circuit breaker period.

The cases are as follows:

1. On 30 March 2020, a 41-year-old Singaporean man had refused to have his temperature taken by a SingPost staff at the entrance to the SingPost outlet at Tampines Central. He had also told the SingPost staff that he might have the “coronavirus”, and had intentionally coughed without covering his mouth. The man had also argued with a SingPost customer who had voiced concern about the man’s behaviour and had intentionally coughed towards the customer’s face. The man was charged with causing public nuisance under Section 290 of the Penal Code. For intentionally coughing towards the SingPost customer’s face during the dispute, the man was also charged with intentional harassment under Section 3(2) of the Protection from Harassment Act. 
   
   
2. On 7 February 2020, a 60-year-old Singaporean man had assaulted two Auxiliary Police Officers (APOs) who were carrying out their duties at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH). The two APOs had approached the man as he was creating a scene at the SGH’s A&E department. On 12 April 2020, he had sat on a bench at Fort Canning Green that was demarcated as not to be occupied. When approached by an NParks officer, the man hurled vulgarities at the officer and subsequently pried out a plank from a park bench. On the same day, Police officers found the man drinking with his friend at a bus stop along Stamford Road. Both the man and his friend were each issued a notice of composition by the Police officer for beaching safe distancing measures, but the man has not paid the fine of S$300. On four separate occasions between 19 April and 23 April 2020, the man had refused to put on a mask in public, despite being aware of the requirement to do so. On 27 April 2020, the man was arrested by the Police for again refusing to wear a mask in public and was referred to the Institute of Mental Health. For assaulting the two APOs at SGH, the man was charged with two counts of voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty under Section 332 of the Penal Code. For using vulgarities on the NParks officer and being a repeat offender for the same offence, the man was charged with using abusive language against a public servant with enhanced punishment for a repeat offender punishable under section 6(3) and Section 8(1)(d) of the Protection from Harassment Act respectively. For prying out a plank from the park bench, the man was charged with mischief under Section 426 of the Penal Code. For sitting on the park bench that was demarcated as not to be occupied,  drinking with his friend at the bus stop, and not wearing a mask in public on five occasions, the man was charged with breaching one count of regulation 7(2)(b), one count of regulation 6 and five counts of regulation 3A(1)(a) of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measure) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 punishable under Section 34(7) of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 respectively. 
   
   
3. On 17 April 2020, a 76-year-old Indonesian man was arrested for hurling vulgarities at two Police officers at a foreign worker dormitory along Kampong Ampat, despite repeated warnings by the Police officers to stop doing so. The Police had responded to a call for assistance as the man, who is the dormitory director, had behaved aggressively towards MOM officers who were conducting inspections at the dormitory. For using vulgarities on the two Police officers, the man was charged with two counts of using abusive language towards a public servant punishable under Section 6(3) of the Protection from Harassment Act.
   
   
4. On 18 April 2020 at about 11am, a 29-year-old Singaporean man was spotted not wearing a mask by two SG Clean Ambassadors at Commonwealth Crescent Market. The SG Clean Ambassadors advised the man to wear a mask but the man ignored them and walked away. On the same day at about 1.50pm, the man was again spotted not wearing a mask by the two SG Clean Ambassadors at the Commonwealth Crescent Market. Again, the man refused to heed their advice to wear a mask, and hurled vulgarities and pointed his middle finger at one of the SG Clean Ambassadors. He also pushed the other SG Clean Ambassador when he was leaving the market. For not wearing a mask in public, the man was charged with breaching regulation 3A(1)(a) of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measure) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 punishable under Section 34(7) of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020. For hurling vulgarities at the SG Clean Ambassador, he was charged with intentional harassment under Section 3(2) of the Protection from Harassment Act. For pushing the other SG Clean Ambassador, he was charged with using criminal force under Section 352 of the Penal Code.
   
   
5. On 18 April 2020, a 52-year-old Singaporean man was arrested for damaging the windows of two neighbours’ flat units with a golf club. The man was frustrated at smelling cigarette smoke purportedly coming from the two neighbours’ units. One female neighbour was hurt when a falling glass shard hit her arm. For damaging his neighbours’ windows and injuring his neighbour, the man was charged for mischief and rash act causing hurt under Section 426 and Section 337(a) of the Penal Code respectively. For leaving his place of residence without a mask and without a valid reason, he was charged with one count of regulation 3A(1)(a) and one count of regulation 4(2) of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measure) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 punishable under Section 34(7) of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 respectively.
   
   
6. On 19 April 2020, the Traffic Police arrested a 23-year-old male Malaysian motorcyclist at Yishun Avenue 6. The man failed the breathalyser test and admitted to the Traffic Police officer that he had earlier consumed alcohol at his residence with his friend, and was sending his friend back home. For drink-driving, he was charged with driving under the influence of drinks under Section 67(1)(b) of the Road Traffic Act. For leaving his place of residence and meeting his friend for social purpose, the man was charged with one count of regulation 4(2) and one count of regulation 6 of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measure) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 punishable under Section 34(7) of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 respectively.
   
   
7. On 25 April 2020, the Traffic Police stopped a 46-year-old Singaporean man for speeding along the Tampines Expressway towards Pan-Island Expressway. The man failed the breathalyser test and admitted to the Traffic Police officer that he had earlier consumed alcohol at a friend’s place at Selegie Road. For exceeding the speed limit on the expressway and drink-driving, he was charged with speeding and driving under the influence of drinks under Section 63(4) and Section 67(1)(b) of the Road Traffic Act respectively. For leaving his place of residence and drinking at his friend’s place, he was charged with one count of regulation 4(2) and one count of regulation 6 of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measure) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 punishable under Section 34(7) of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 respectively.
   
   
8. On 5 May 2020, a 37-year-old female Chinese national was arrested in an anti-vice operation mounted by the Police at a condominium unit along 30 Jalan Kemaman. The woman was found to have allowed a man, who does not reside at the place, into the condominium unit on 5 May 2020, as well as on another previous occasion on 19 April 2020. The woman was investigated for her involvement in vice activities. For allowing the man into her place of residence on both dates, she was charged with two counts of regulation 4(4) of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measure) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 punishable under Section 34(7) of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020.

The Police take a stern view of abusive and irresponsible behaviour relating to the flouting of safe distancing measures during the COVID-19 circuit breaker period. Offenders will be dealt with sternly in accordance with the law.

Everyone should take the circuit breaker measures seriously. Members of the public should cooperate and comply with the instructions of Enforcement Officers, and SG Clean and Safe Distancing Ambassadors. The Police will not tolerate any verbal or physical abuse of them. They are performing an important duty to keep us and our community safe. Let us all do our part to curb the spread of COVID-19.