SINGAPORE — An external fencing coach who was teaching the Raffles Institution fencing team allegedly threw a mobile phone in the direction of a male student who was “disobedient”. The phone hit the student’s forehead, which bled, and the coach has been charged in court for causing hurt by committing a rash act.
The incident was reported by Lianhe Wanbao, and occurred on the afternoon of February 20 of this year at Raffles Institution (RI).
Tan Shi Han, an external coach who was coaching the RI fencing team, was in the middle of a training session with students on the school’s fencing team.
In the middle of the lesson, 26-year-old Tan reportedly threw a mobile phone in the direction of a male student out of anger because of the student’s “disobedience”, and she apparently wanted to “teach him a lesson”.
The phone, which was aimed in the student’s direction, hit the student’s face and cut him on the forehead.
The cut, which was Y-shaped and measured 1.5 centimetres, was located between the student’s eyebrows and nose bridge and caused his forehead to bleed copiously.
Tan insisted that she did not intend for the phone to hit the student, and she allegedly tried to help stop the bleeding as soon as the incident occurred.
Upon hearing about the incident and injury, the student’s family filed a report with the police against Tan.
Tan’s fencing club, Blade Club, suspended her from coaching duties when they found out about what happened. Wanbao reported that Tan has also since resigned from her coaching position.
“We are devoted to providing services with the highest standard of professionalism. This applies not only for sporting and training excellence, but we also want to ensure that our students’ welfare and safety is guaranteed,” said a Blade Club spokesperson.
According to Wanbao, Tan’s parents commented on the incident, saying that they do not believe their daughter wanted or planned to cause harm to the student.
Tan’s mother said that she believed that her daughter did not have any ill intentions.
They also spoke about her personality. Her father insisted that despite being stubborn, Tan was not the type to give in to violence.
He said that because of the perfectionist way that Tan viewed her sport, it was possible that she lost control of her emotions during the training session.
Tan’s actions, if she is found guilty of causing hurt by a rash act, may cause her to receive a punishment of jail time of up to a year, or a fine of up to S$5000, or both.
Tan’s sentencing will be happening in court at a later date. -/TISG
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