Loanshark runner who verbally abused judge sentenced to reformative training

A loanshark runner who verbally abused a judge was sentenced to another stint of reformative training on Wednesday (oct09).

Lee Wen Jie, 20, during a court hearing for his unlicensed money lending offences called District Judge Lee Poh Choo a "stupid judge" and told her to "shut up" before shouting Hokkien expletives.

In the incident, which happened in March, Lee had just found out that he could be packed off to the Reformative Training Centre (RTC) for between 18 months and three years for his offences. He then told Judge Lee that he wanted to engage a lawyer as he wished to retract his guilty plea. She turned him down and sentenced him to reformative training.

He then burst out with the abuse and vulgarities and only stopped after the judge went into her chambers, despite translators and police officers asking him to calm down. As both stints of reformative training are to run concurrently, he effectively will serve about six months more in the RTC in Changi. There, he will undergo a strict regime of foot drills, counselling and vocational training. He will also be able to continue his studies.

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.