Man jailed and fined for assaulting girlfriend, abusing policeman and causing mischief

Murugan also had violence-related convictions for affray, breach of personal protection order and causing hurt. PHOTO: ST GRAPHIC

SINGAPORE - An unemployed man who assaulted his girlfriend and burnt her cheek with a lighted cigarette was jailed for eight months on Tuesday .

Sri Murugan Subramaniam, 44, was also fined a total of $4,000 for smashing seven flower pots and using abusive words on a policeman.

He also threatened his godsister by pointing a chopper at her and threatening to chop her.

Assistant Public Prosecutor Lim Yu Hui said Murugan confronted Madam Milah, 34, at her home on Feb 21 this year. He took out a chopper and pointed it at the victim, threatening to chop her. He felt that she had badmouthed him infront of his girlfriend, which led to the both of them breaking up.

He also threatened Madam Milah's eldest child, aged 16. Her other four children began crying as they were frightened by his actions, said Ms Lim. Murugan then used the chopper to hit the victim's cellphone, causing the screen to crack .

On March 15, he and his girlfriend, Ms Radika Rajavarma, 31, returned to his home in Ang Mo Kio after dinner with his friends.

He claimed that she had embarrassed him earlier at the dinner and punched her in the face. He later also placed a lighted cigarette against her right cheek. She suffered multiple bruises on her limbs, a burn mark over her cheek and a superficial abrasion on the lower lip. She was given seven days' medical leave.

On March 31, Ms Radika was on her way home after fetching her children when she met Murugan at the void deck of her block.

He was unhappy with her for uploading a picture of her ex-husband on Facebook. They had a quarrel.

She returned home and locked the door. She refused to let him in, so Murugan threatened her. He proceeded to smash seven flower pots belonging to the victim's mother.

When police came, they found Murugan sleeping on a sofa a floor below. He denied smashing the flower pots and hurled abuses at a senior station inspector who had handcuffed him.

The policeman warned him to stop but he continued to hurl abuse.

Four other charges were taken into consideration. Murugan had violence-related convictions for affray, breach of personal protection order and causing hurt.

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