Woman fined for hurling abuse, spitting at Grab driver
www.channelnewsasia.com
SINGAPORE: A woman was fined S$3,500 on Monday (Jun 13) for hurling abuse and spitting at a Grab driver who told her and another passenger to wear their masks.
Kwek Shu Yong, 33, pleaded guilty to two charges under the Protection from Harassment Act.
A third charge of breaching COVID-19 regulations by failing to wear a mask was considered for sentencing.
The court heard that at about 2.20am on Nov 15, 2020, the 59-year-old victim picked up Kwek and another passenger in Woodlands.
The driver noticed that Kwek and the other passenger were not wearing masks and asked them to do so. They put on their masks before boarding the car.
As the driver was about to move off, he checked his rear-view mirror and noticed that the other passenger had removed his mask.
The driver turned around and told the man to put his mask back on or he would insist that both passengers alight from his car.
Kwek was upset by the driver's request and shouted at him in a mixture of English, Mandarin and Teochew.
"Uncle, you this type of person like you ah, it's a matter of time before you get beaten up by others, really, you don't drive at night, you drive in the morning will do," she said, before using a vulgarity.
The driver took out his mobile phone and told Kwek he would record her behaviour.
Kwek then lowered her mask and made a spitting sound in his direction, causing some of her spittle to land on his face.
Kwek also challenged the driver to call the police. He proceeded to drive the pair to a police centre.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Timotheus Koh sought the fine that was imposed, arguing that the driver was a vulnerable victim.
"He is constantly exposed on the service frontline and left to fend for himself when confronted with difficult and/or unruly passengers," said the prosecutor.
He also called Kwek's action of spitting at the victim "plainly disgusting and irresponsible" given the heightened anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those who use abusive words with the intent to cause harassment can be jailed up to six months, fined up to S$5,000 or both.
Those guilty of insulting behaviour likely to cause harassment can be fined up to S$5,000.
www.channelnewsasia.com
SINGAPORE: A woman was fined S$3,500 on Monday (Jun 13) for hurling abuse and spitting at a Grab driver who told her and another passenger to wear their masks.
Kwek Shu Yong, 33, pleaded guilty to two charges under the Protection from Harassment Act.
A third charge of breaching COVID-19 regulations by failing to wear a mask was considered for sentencing.
The court heard that at about 2.20am on Nov 15, 2020, the 59-year-old victim picked up Kwek and another passenger in Woodlands.
The driver noticed that Kwek and the other passenger were not wearing masks and asked them to do so. They put on their masks before boarding the car.
As the driver was about to move off, he checked his rear-view mirror and noticed that the other passenger had removed his mask.
The driver turned around and told the man to put his mask back on or he would insist that both passengers alight from his car.
Kwek was upset by the driver's request and shouted at him in a mixture of English, Mandarin and Teochew.
"Uncle, you this type of person like you ah, it's a matter of time before you get beaten up by others, really, you don't drive at night, you drive in the morning will do," she said, before using a vulgarity.
The driver took out his mobile phone and told Kwek he would record her behaviour.
Kwek then lowered her mask and made a spitting sound in his direction, causing some of her spittle to land on his face.
Kwek also challenged the driver to call the police. He proceeded to drive the pair to a police centre.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Timotheus Koh sought the fine that was imposed, arguing that the driver was a vulnerable victim.
"He is constantly exposed on the service frontline and left to fend for himself when confronted with difficult and/or unruly passengers," said the prosecutor.
He also called Kwek's action of spitting at the victim "plainly disgusting and irresponsible" given the heightened anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those who use abusive words with the intent to cause harassment can be jailed up to six months, fined up to S$5,000 or both.
Those guilty of insulting behaviour likely to cause harassment can be fined up to S$5,000.
