Singapore
14 Mar 2024 02:22PM
The woman went on a knife-swinging tirade, shrieking at her husband and brother-in-law when the latter tried to help.
File photo of a woman holding a knife. (Photo: iStock)
SINGAPORE: A woman, who described herself in court as "hot-tempered", was jailed for three months on Thursday (Mar 14) for swinging a knife at her husband and threatening him in front of their young children.
Lu Ut Em, 33, was also fined S$2,000 (US$1,500) with one day's jail in default. She pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal intimidation and threatening to her husband.
The Vietnamese woman, who appeared in court via video link from her place of remand, initially objected persistently to the prosecution's framing of the charges.
Even when confronted with video footage of her pointing a knife at her husband in front of their young kids and other relatives, Lu maintained that she did not point the knife at him.
Instead, she only swung it at him, she claimed through an interpreter.
She also contested another charge which said she threatened her husband saying "I want you to bleed" in Mandarin.
After watching a video clip of the incident, she said she had used a Mandarin phrase that meant "bleed". When asked what she meant, she said "I don't know".
She eventually pleaded guilty only after the prosecution amended the documents to say she had swung the knife at her husband and threatened him with the word "bleed".
They lived together in a flat in Teck Whye with their two kids aged three and five, as well as the man's mother, brother and sister-in-law.
On Dec 2, 2023, Lu was home with her husband and other relatives.
She was unhappy with her husband and raised her voice at him. She took a kitchen knife and continued shouting at him, repeatedly swinging the knife at the man.
In video footage played in court, the man did not appear to retaliate as his wife repeatedly screeched and snarled.
The two children sat in or stood around the living room as the onslaught continued, and their grandmother was shown at the scene as well.
At one point, when the victim's brother intervened, Lu turned her aggression on him, repeatedly gesturing toward him with a jabbing motion until he retreated to the kitchen.
Lu raised the knife at one point and threatened her husband, saying "bleed" in Mandarin, the prosecution said, reading from the statement of facts.
At this point, Lu could be seen smiling to herself on the video link.
During the incident, the victim took a chopper to defend himself and hoped to scare his wife into putting down her knife.
However, she was undaunted and he placed the chopper back before leaving the flat to prevent the situation from escalating.
The police were called down to the scene and arrested Lu.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ryan Lim sought three to four months' jail and a fine for Lu.
He said the use of a knife was dangerous and there was a clear intention to cause alarm to the husband.
There were also other family members around, including two young children.
The accused's tirade effectively drove the victim out of his own home, said Mr Lim.
This was also not an isolated incident - there was another one in February 2024, following which Lu was remanded.
District Judge Eddy Tham asked Lu: "How will you ensure that the next time you quarrel and lose your temper, you will not resort to such violent actions?"
Lu responded: "Because I'm very hot-tempered. That's why I did so. Besides that, I am very OK."
The judge told Lu that conflict and disagreements are part and parcel of family life and living together.
He asked if she was saying that she would repeat her actions again since she was hot-tempered.
Lu replied: "I will not do it again, your honour. I try my best to control myself."
Judge Tham told her that this was especially when she had young children.
"It's shocking to see the young children walking around when you are brandishing a knife. You do not know the kind of effect psychologically you will have on them, to witness such acts at home," he said.
"Yes, they were afraid," replied Lu.
Judge Tham told her to think about her children in future when she gets angry or upset, so she could gain better control and restrain herself.
Lu repeatedly said she did so because she was angry.
"We're not saying you cannot be angry," replied the judge. "We're saying you need to control yourself after being angry and use some other methods to resolve your anger."
He said he would get a court counsellor to speak to her.
'I'm very hot-tempered': Woman jailed for swinging knife at husband in front of children
14 Mar 2024 02:22PM
The woman went on a knife-swinging tirade, shrieking at her husband and brother-in-law when the latter tried to help.
File photo of a woman holding a knife. (Photo: iStock)
SINGAPORE: A woman, who described herself in court as "hot-tempered", was jailed for three months on Thursday (Mar 14) for swinging a knife at her husband and threatening him in front of their young children.
Lu Ut Em, 33, was also fined S$2,000 (US$1,500) with one day's jail in default. She pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal intimidation and threatening to her husband.
The Vietnamese woman, who appeared in court via video link from her place of remand, initially objected persistently to the prosecution's framing of the charges.
Even when confronted with video footage of her pointing a knife at her husband in front of their young kids and other relatives, Lu maintained that she did not point the knife at him.
Instead, she only swung it at him, she claimed through an interpreter.
She also contested another charge which said she threatened her husband saying "I want you to bleed" in Mandarin.
After watching a video clip of the incident, she said she had used a Mandarin phrase that meant "bleed". When asked what she meant, she said "I don't know".
She eventually pleaded guilty only after the prosecution amended the documents to say she had swung the knife at her husband and threatened him with the word "bleed".
THE CASE
The court heard that Lu was married to the victim, a 61-year-old Singaporean man.They lived together in a flat in Teck Whye with their two kids aged three and five, as well as the man's mother, brother and sister-in-law.
On Dec 2, 2023, Lu was home with her husband and other relatives.
She was unhappy with her husband and raised her voice at him. She took a kitchen knife and continued shouting at him, repeatedly swinging the knife at the man.
In video footage played in court, the man did not appear to retaliate as his wife repeatedly screeched and snarled.
The two children sat in or stood around the living room as the onslaught continued, and their grandmother was shown at the scene as well.
At one point, when the victim's brother intervened, Lu turned her aggression on him, repeatedly gesturing toward him with a jabbing motion until he retreated to the kitchen.
Lu raised the knife at one point and threatened her husband, saying "bleed" in Mandarin, the prosecution said, reading from the statement of facts.
At this point, Lu could be seen smiling to herself on the video link.
During the incident, the victim took a chopper to defend himself and hoped to scare his wife into putting down her knife.
However, she was undaunted and he placed the chopper back before leaving the flat to prevent the situation from escalating.
The police were called down to the scene and arrested Lu.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ryan Lim sought three to four months' jail and a fine for Lu.
He said the use of a knife was dangerous and there was a clear intention to cause alarm to the husband.
There were also other family members around, including two young children.
The accused's tirade effectively drove the victim out of his own home, said Mr Lim.
This was also not an isolated incident - there was another one in February 2024, following which Lu was remanded.
JUDGE QUESTIONS HER
In mitigation, Lu said: "I'm very sorry for what I have done. Please give me a chance. I would like to pay fine instead of going to jail. I would like to go back home to take care of my child."District Judge Eddy Tham asked Lu: "How will you ensure that the next time you quarrel and lose your temper, you will not resort to such violent actions?"
Lu responded: "Because I'm very hot-tempered. That's why I did so. Besides that, I am very OK."
The judge told Lu that conflict and disagreements are part and parcel of family life and living together.
He asked if she was saying that she would repeat her actions again since she was hot-tempered.
Lu replied: "I will not do it again, your honour. I try my best to control myself."
Judge Tham told her that this was especially when she had young children.
"It's shocking to see the young children walking around when you are brandishing a knife. You do not know the kind of effect psychologically you will have on them, to witness such acts at home," he said.
"Yes, they were afraid," replied Lu.
Judge Tham told her to think about her children in future when she gets angry or upset, so she could gain better control and restrain herself.
Lu repeatedly said she did so because she was angry.
"We're not saying you cannot be angry," replied the judge. "We're saying you need to control yourself after being angry and use some other methods to resolve your anger."
He said he would get a court counsellor to speak to her.
