33 days' jail for dentist who verbally abused police officers and hit one of them

While drunk, a dentist not only hurled vulgarities at police officers, but also struck one of them in the arm.

Felicia Lee Ziying, 31, even taunted them when she was subsequently arrested.

Lee was sentenced yesterday to 33 days' jail for using abusive words on two police officers and also criminal force on one of them.

She pleaded guilty on Monday to her offences, which she committed in 2018.

Three other charges - two relating to using criminal force and one relating to being drunk in public places - were taken into consideration by District Judge Luke Tan during sentencing.

Lee had visited the Esso petrol kiosk located at Block 174 Holland Road in the early hours of Aug 7, 2018.

She shouted at two kiosk attendants, who were unsuccessful at calming her down. One of them then called the police at 2.35am.

When five police officers arrived at the scene, they found Lee running after the attendants. The court had heard earlier that Lee was drunk and smelt of alcohol at that time.

One of the officers, Inspector Abdul Hadi Abdul Halim, then contacted Lee's father, Mr Lee Thian See, for help in retrieving her.

Mr Lee later arrived at the petrol kiosk, but could not persuade his daughter, who was shouting and gesticulating at the officers, to return home. He tried to pull her away, but she struggled against his grip.

Seeing that Mr Lee was having difficulties calming his daughter down, one of the police officers stepped in to help. Lee turned around and hurled a vulgarity at the officer.

She subsequently attempted to open the door of a police vehicle, mistaking it for her own, but was stopped by three officers. However, she continued to demand that the vehicle's door be opened.

At that point, Insp Abdul Hadi intervened and warned her to stop. In response, Lee launched a tirade of expletives against him.

She then swung her right arm above her head and struck him on the arm.

The dentist was later arrested. While being restrained, she taunted the officers, saying she was "oh, so scared".

Lee, whose primary place of practice is listed on the Singapore Dental Council's website as Q&M Dental Surgery (Clementi), will begin serving her jail term on July 6.

For each charge of using criminal force on a public servant, she could have been jailed for up to four years and fined.

She could also have been jailed for up to a year and fined up to $5,000 for using abusive words on a public servant.