SINGAPORE - Five men accused of abusing public servants, in four separate incidents, will be charged in court on Friday (March 13). They are aged between 25 and 61.

Their offences worsen the number of such abuse cases, and the police said on Thursday that these have been rising over the past years.

Last year, the annual rise shot up 10 per cent from 365 to 399 cases of assault and abuse of public servants.

Of the four incidents, the first took place on Oct 14, 2018, when a 61-year-old allegedly kicked a police officer after he was approached for a routine security spot check at Paya Lebar MRT station.

He will be charged with voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from discharging his duty.

The following year, on May 18, 2019, police were informed of an intoxicated man, 25, in Pasir Ris Drive 3 who refused to pay his cab fare.

He allegedly threw a cigarette box at officers, showed them his middle finger, and headbutted an officer while he was being arrested,

He will be charged with voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from discharging his duty; using criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty; and making abusive communication against a public servant.

In the third case, a 29-year-old was lying drunk on the floor at Orchard Towers building and when officers attended to him, he allegedly kicked and spat at them.

He also allegedly tried to bite a police officer as he was being arrested on June 22, 2019.

He will be charged with voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from discharging his duty, and using criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty.

In the final incident, on Sept 27, two men allegedly assaulted a Certis traffic officer on parking enforcement duty in Geylang Lorong 16.

One of them, aged 30, allegedly grabbed the officer's shirt collar, while his friend, aged 31, is accused of pushing and headbutting the officer.

A couple of months later, the 30-year-old was involved in a similar case on Nov 22 when he allegedly behaved in a threatening manner towards a doctor at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital while seeking treatment.

Both men will be charged with using criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty. The 30-year-old man will face an additional charge of using threatening behaviour towards a public service worker.

The punishments for these offences include jail, fine and even caning.

The most severe are for those convicted of voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant. They may be jailed for up to seven years, caned, or fined.

Anyone convicted of using abusive or threatening communication or behaviour may be jailed for up to 12 months, fined up to $5,000, or both.

Those who use criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty face a jail term of up to four years, a fine , or both.