Ex-site manager jailed for attacking cop and fined $3K for punching hotel staff

Norwegian national Staale Lie Jorgensen was jailed one month on Tuesday for kicking a police officer. He was also fined $3,000 for punching and kicking a hotel staff at Naumi Hotel where he stayed on May 10 this year. -- PHOTO: ST FILE
Norwegian national Staale Lie Jorgensen was jailed one month on Tuesday for kicking a police officer. He was also fined $3,000 for punching and kicking a hotel staff at Naumi Hotel where he stayed on May 10 this year. -- PHOTO: ST FILE

SINGAPORE - A Norwegian national who was here for a business meeting and holiday was jailed one month on Tuesday for kicking a police officer.

Staale Lie Jorgensen, 34, was also fined $3,000 for punching and kicking a hotel staff at Naumi Hotel where he stayed on May 10 this year.

He admitted to causing hurt to Mr Vergel Dela Cruz Morlano, 26, at the Seah Street hotel between 5am and 5.30am as well as kicking the thigh and shin of reservist Inspector Li Tian Fu, 30 at the carpark of Singapore General Hospital about five hours later.

Jorgensen was working in South Korea as a site manager in the oil and gas industry when he came here for a short vacation and to attend a business meeting in May.

Between 5am and 5.30am that day, Mr Morlano's colleague received a call from a woman guest that there was another guest in their room. By the time the call had been hung up, the other female guest had come down to the hotel counter to seek help as Jorgensen had entered their room.

Mr Morlano went to Level 7 and saw Jorgensen behaving aggressively in the corridor. Jorgensen punched Mr Morlano in the chest and kicked him on the left side of his body.

Police arrested Jorgensen who was taken to hospital for treatment of injuries found on his body.

After the treatment, he was escorted to the police vehicle parked outside the accident and emergency department of Singapore General Hospital.

Jorgensen lay across the back seat of the car and started to kick the door.

When Insp Lu opened the door, he kicked him on his right thigh and shin. He then charged towards Insp Lu who told him to stop but Jorgensen continued charging towards the officer. Insp Lu then drew out his baton and gave a forward spin, hitting Jorgensen's left calf. Reasonable force had to be used to subdue him.

Jorgensen's lawyer S.S. Dhillon said his client had gone to various places to drink with his colleagues and was in a "drunken stupor'' when he committed the offences. He said his client has lost his job and what he did was out of line with his character.

Three other charges of disorderly conduct, criminal trespass and causing hurt to another hotel employee were taken into consideration during his sentencing.

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