Man jailed 15 months for threatening PM Lee on Facebook

[EdmondHonda]

Man jailed 15 months for threatening PM Lee on Facebook

Photo: Berita Harian

Wednesday, Dec 9, 2015

SINGAPORE - A 33-year-old man who sent four identical threatening messages to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's Facebook account earlier this year has been sentenced to 15 months' jail.

Tan Yeong Hong, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, also previously pleaded guilty to two counts of hurting two policemen.

Tan had punched a policeman on his shoulder and elbowed another in the face when they arrested him near his home on June 25, 2015, Channel NewsAsia reported.

According to previous reports, Tan went to Mr Lee's Meet-the-People (MPS) session on June 24 to pass him an article that he had typed.

Tan carried a black haversack containing a hammer, but said he had no intention to use it.

As Mr Lee was not present, Tan passed the article to a grassroots leader.

Later that night, Tan used his mobile phone to send four threatening private messages to the Prime Minister's Facebook account.

The messages, sent at 8.49pm, read: "Eh, You challenged me to visit your MPS but you are not here. I will find and stage an Attack on you when I have information on your Public Appearances. You know who i am." Tan also included his identity-card and mobile-phone numbers.

A senior manager from the Prime Ministers' Office made a police report about the messages on June 25, according to The Straits Times.

A search of Tan's home revealed a stash of weapons including a hammer, two choppers and several knives, Channel NewsAsia reported. A list of the Prime Minister's upcoming appearances was also found.

Despite suffering from schizophrenia, a report from the Institute of Mental Health found that he was not of unsound mind then, and he was also found to be fit to enter a plea in court.

For criminal intimidation, Tan could have been jailed up to 2 years and fined. For hurting a public servant in the discharge of his duty, Tan could have been jailed for up to seven years, fined and caned.

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