SINGAPORE - An unemployed man who wrote names of secret societies on the door and wall at a video link room at State Courts' pre-trial conference (PTC) centre and a park connector bridge was sentenced to 20 weeks' jail on Monday (Oct 24).
Ho Bak Choon, 52, who faced six charges, admitted to two counts of mischief and one of slapping a 41-year-old woman, pulling her hair and slamming her head against the side of a stationary lorry.
The offences took place between Dec 4, 2015 and July 20 this year.
The court heard that Ho was cycling along a footpath near Block 53 Sims Place on Dec 4, 2015 when he became upset that Ms Chiang Chong Kwee and her colleague were in his way. He hurled vulgarities in Hokkien at Ms Chiang, who turned around and asked what he wanted, and what he was talking about.
Ho charged at her, slapped her on the face two to three times, pulled her hair, and slammed her head against the side of a stationary lorry. She fell and he continued to attack her until he was restrained. He tried to leave but was stopped by two passers-by.
Ms Chiang suffered minor injuries.
Ho was also charged on May 31 with abusing a public servant.
He attended two pre-trial conferences for the two offences, and a warrant was issued for his arrest on July 19 when he failed to show up for a third PTC.
On May 20, just before 1pm, Ho went to the State Courts. He then entered the PTC Centre through the unlocked main glass door.
Inside the video link room, he used a red marker to write graffiti in Chinese characters on the room's wall and wooden door. He did it as he had "nothing to do" and was "bored", the court heard.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Ee Kuan said Ho also smoked in the room. He left the Havelock Square courthouse at 1.16pm and was arrested when he returned later that evening.
Upon his arrest, he was traced to an earlier case of graffiti. He admitted that he had written secret society names in blue ink on the bridge along the park connector in Potong Pasir and a four-letter word on a PUB sign. He had cancelled out the word "call" and written "f***" over the cancellation.
Ho has six previous convictions for offences like causing hurt with a dangerous weapon, using criminal force on a public servant and loanshark harassment.
Ho's sentence was backdated to July 22.
