Youth who flouted Covid-19 rules gets 6 months' probation

A youth who captured video footage for a content creator during a New Year's gathering near Clarke Quay in January - amid the Covid-19 outbreak - will be put on six months' probation.

As part of the sentence handed out yesterday, Lee Hern Sing, 20, has to remain indoors from 11pm to 6am every day and perform 40 hours of community service.

His parents had to put up a bond for $5,000 to ensure his good behaviour.

Before handing down the sentence, District Judge Brenda Chua noted that Lee had no prior offences.

She noted that he is below 21 and that such young offenders are in the right group for rehabilitation.

Lee pleaded guilty in June to an offence under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act.

He had attended a gathering comprising more than five people without a reasonable excuse - an offence under the Act.

During earlier proceedings, the court heard that he operated a camera to record the antics of content creator Kotra Venkata Sai Rohankrishna, who was dressed in a Spider-Man costume.

Another youth, Glaxy Low Xuan Ming, donned a wrestling mask.

Kotra and Low, who were both then 19, were dealt with in court earlier for flouting Covid-19 rules.

Kotra, the mastermind in the case, was fined $4,000 on May 31, while Low was fined $2,000 on April 26.

For the current case, Deputy Public Prosecutor Wu Yu Jie had told the court that Lee met Kotra and Low in Prinsep Street before 11pm on Dec 31 last year.

Kotra had an idea to film interviews featuring members of the public for his YouTube channel. Lee and Low agreed to help him.

Kotra and Low began looking for interviewees when they reached Clarke Quay.

The DPP said: "When (Kotra) and Glaxy interacted with members of the public (in the surrounding area), the accused was present as well to operate the camera and lighting equipment."

One of the interviewees, Assiddiq Surani, 22, was fined $1,700 on June 10 after he pleaded guilty to an offence under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act.

Videos posted online showed a rowdy crowd cheering, singing and celebrating in what the authorities called a blatant flouting of Covid-19 safe management rules and a potential superspreader event.

To date, multiple men have been fined $1,500 each for breaching Covid-19 regulations.

Two students who faced more than one charge each were fined $2,000 and $3,000, respectively, on March 8.

In an earlier statement, the Urban Redevelopment Authority said 14 people had been hauled to court for the incident, while 19 people had been issued composition fines.

For committing an offence under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, a first-time offender can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $10,000.

A repeat offender can be jailed for up to a year and fined up to $20,000.