14 weeks’ jail for man who removed mask, deliberately coughed at police

Singapore—A 29-year-old man who took off his face mask and coughed at a police officer on purpose last September received a 14-week jail sentence on Monday (Mar 29).

Three police officers from Choa Chu Kang Neighbourhood Police Centre responded to a call for help on Sept 13, 2020, that had come from a flat at Choa Chu Kang. 

A woman claimed that her sister-in-law’s boyfriend was “using violence” at that time.  

The police arrested Devraj Tamil Selvan, who lives in the flat, after he slapped his girlfriend in front of them.

As he was brought to the police vehicle, he pushed the police officer who was escorting him.

When he was inside the police car, he told the officers he could not breathe well.

The police then called for an ambulance, which took Devraj to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital so he could be examined.

At the hospital, he took off his mask and intentionally coughed at the police officer he had pushed earlier, in spite of several warnings from hospital staff and the police officers themselves. 

Additionally, Devraj verbally abused two police officers, The Straits Times (ST) reports.

“Take out the handcuff, lah, alamak, (expletive) stupid idiots,” he told the police.

In court on Mar 29, Devraj entered a guilty plea to one count each of using criminal force and abusive behaviour towards a police officer, and another charge of using abusive words at two officers.

A month before his arrest, the police received a call concerning a fight between Devraj and the mother of his sister-in-law.

He has also admitted that he rode a motorcycle illegally last August. For this offence, he will not be allowed to drive for three years after he gets out of jail.

The court heard that on Aug 12, 2020, he rode his motorbike from Choa Chu Kang to Jurong, with his girlfriend as a pillion rider, in spite of a prior disqualification from driving all classes of vehicles for the period between Jan 17, 2019, and July 16 this year.

District Judge Ng Cheng Thiam considered 10 other charges, which included being drunk in public, before giving him the 14-week jail sentence.

Devraj could have received a jail sentence of up to four years, a fine, or both penalties, for the offence of using criminal force on a police officer.

/TISG

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