Man jailed for being drunk in public, hurling a racial insult at nurse

SINGAPORE - A man jailed for public drunkenness in May reoffended soon after his release.

On Thursday (Oct 7), Ganesan Samythurai, 55, was sentenced to 11 weeks' jail after he pleaded guilty to the offence, as well as six other charges, including mischief and harassment, which he committed while out on bail.

The Singaporean was sentenced to two weeks' jail in May for public drunkenness.

The court heard that "almost immediately" after his release, he was seen intoxicated at the void deck of a block of flats in Pending Road, near Bukit Panjang Road, at around 7pm on May 25.

He was rowdy and challenged a passer-by to a fight. He also kicked the dustbin there.

Ganesan's older sister spotted him at the void deck and ran home. She locked herself in her flat and called the police.

Ganesan was outside her flat when officers arrived. They saw that he was not wearing a mask. Court documents do not state what happened next.

On June 25, he was out on bail when he used a brick to smash the windows of his sister's flat when no one was home.

He then entered the unit and destroyed items including a television set, causing $6,000 in damages.

A neighbour alerted the police and officers soon arrived at the scene. Undeterred, Ganesan ignored them and continued destroying items in the flat.

He was arrested and released on bail.

On July 6, he went to Changi General Hospital at around noon to seek treatment for swelling on his left calf.

He insisted on smoking there and threw a tantrum when told that he could not do so. He then kicked a hospital bed and shouted vulgarities.

Witnessing the commotion, senior nurse Mohamed Azmi Missuan, 35, approached Ganesan but was met with verbal abuse and a racial insult.

Mr Azmi then alerted the police and officers arrived at around 2.15pm.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Goh Yong Ngee said: "They observed that the accused was hurling vulgarities at the hospital staff, specifically the nurses and auxiliary police officers. The accused's wound was dressed and bandaged.

"The accused was also discharged... However, while collecting his medication, the accused started shouting vulgarities and refused to accept the discharge summary or medication."

Ganesan was then advised to leave the hospital and go home to rest. He refused to leave the premises and was later arrested.

In unrelated cases in June, the court heard that he also damaged a crow trap and yanked off the left side mirror of a parked car.

These acts led to more than $1,000 in damages. He has made no restitution.

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