In a shocking incident, a Singaporean man was caught assaulting a 12-year-old boy for cycling near HDB block. He reportedly slapped and punched the primary school student’s face several times in broad daylight.
It was only after the boy’s father intervened and filed a complaint that the man was forced to admit to the assault.
However, the way the incident transpired has raised an alarm for parents on the island and again brought back the debate of child safety.
12-Year-Old Boy Assaulted In Singapore For Cycling Near HDB Block
Image courtesy: Stock
In the case presented to the court, the pair first met on November 13, 2020. At the time, Chua spotted the 12-year-old boy cycling on a pathway near a public housing block and immediately confronted him. He allegedly told the boy to ride on the pavement. The boy followed his advice and left from there.
The boy and the man then met again on November 20, 2020. This time, Chua spotted the boy cycling slowly on the same track. He came towards the primary school student.
He threatened the boy that if he caught him riding on the track again, he would deflate his tyres. This prompted the boy to cycle away.
Just 15 minutes later, Chua found the 12-year-old on the track again and he blocked him, asking him to turn around and cycle away.
The boy questioned him about this as LTA permitted cycling there. But Chua was in no mood to listen and replied with, “Government said” and “I said.”
The accused further reminded the boy to not argue with him. While the young boy was in the middle of explaining the LTA policy to him, Chua suddenly slapped him in the face. He got further agitated when he found that the boy had been filming the entire altercation on his mobile phone.
He tried to snatch the phone from him, causing it to drop. As the latter made an attempt to retrieve it, he punched his face and head.
The video footage came in handy, and was in fact played in court.
The accused punched the boy on his chest several times. The boy assaulted in Singapore, however, didn’t retaliate. A passerby then came and asked if the boy needed help and offered to be a witness.
Cycling Allowed On The Track Confirms LTA
The father of the boy assaulted in Singapore soon arrived at the scene and saw the alleged assault video. After seeing Chua in the vicinity, his father confronted him about it. He even told him that he was in the wrong and that he shouldn’t have assaulted his son.
The accused reportedly apologised and asked the father to hit him back as a retaliation. But the victim’s father refused to entertain this request and instead, called the police.
When the police probed him, Chua initially admitted that he slapped the boy but denied punching him. The boy suffered abrasions and redness around his jaw area. The paramedics later attended to the child.
Chua paid the restitution of $120 to the 12-year-old’s father to settle his medical bills. The Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) informed the court that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) allows cycling on the track.
Chua’s lawyer asked for a fine or the lowest possible jail sentence citing the poor health of his client and that he cooperated with police investigations.
The accused also appeared in court with a white patch on one eye, as he had undergone an eye operation and a heart bypass surgery a few months before the assault.
However, the judge was in no mood to accept that this could have been an excuse for his actions.
“This Is A Classic Case Of Bullying,” Says The Judge
Image courtesy: iStock
The judge found Chua’s action to be a classic case of bullying.
“His reaction was mainly disproportionate and he conducted himself in a less than dignified and charitable manner befitting his age and seniority,” stated the judge.
She further taunted the father to beat him up in return. Chua’s lawyer pointed that the accused felt remorse. However, the judge found that there was a lack of genuine remorse.
The judge further pointed out it’s almost akin to him being caught red-handed. The accused could get a maximum sentence of up to six years in jail or pay fine up to $10,000, or even both.
In this particular case, the boy was at no fault of his own and even legally he could cycle in the vicinity. Moreover, under no circumstance should an adult assault a 12-year-old. But this case is alarming and does put the safety of children at stake.
While the judgment should act a deterrent for those adults who choose violence, you can teach kids about resolving conflict by asking them to state the problem to a responsible adult, apologise when at fault, and communicate issues and feelings honestly.
News source: Today Online
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