The 46-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman who were arrested in April for causing public nuisance at a hawker centre in Toa Payoh have been charged in Court today. The couple bullied a 76-year-old man at the Lorong 8 Toa Payoh hawker centre.
The man, identified as Chow Chuin Yee, was charged with using criminal force against an elderly man. He was also charged with behaving in a disorderly manner for pushing bowls and plates off the table at the hawker centre.
The woman, identified as Tay Puay Leng, was charged with using abusive words with intent to cause alarm.
that the Police paid the Toa Payoh Lorong 8 hawker centre a visit on Sunday and spoke to the hawkers there.
According to eyewitness reports, the incident happened on 21 April, between 8.45 – 9pm and that except for one short umbrella to indicate that it was reserved, the table the old man tried to sit at was empty. He then asked the woman nicely if the table was taken, when she shouted at him using vulgarities before calling her friend.
The video shared by a Facebook user showed a man emerging from behind the old man soon after the woman got on the phone, and banging on him. Only the table in front of the old man prevented him from serious injury from falling on the floor. The old man can be heard asking, “I was just talking to her. Why must you bang me?”
The video also showed another man trying to pacify the older man and asking him to move to another table. The old man relented reluctantly.
Chow could be jailed for a maximum of three months and fined up to $1,500, if he is convicted of using criminal force. He could face a further six months jail and a fine of $2,000 if convicted for behaving in a disorderly manner.
Tay could be jailed up to six months and fined up to $5,000 if she is convicted of using abusive words.