Man who assaulted pre-school boy in Singapore gets 14 weeks’ jail; victim had shown him a lewd hand gesture
A 37-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced to 14 weeks in jail for assaulting a four-year-old boy at a pre-school. The incident occurred after the child made a lewd hand gesture at the man, leading to a physical confrontation at a nearby bus stop.
Why it matters
The case highlights legal consequences for adult aggression toward children and the lasting psychological impact of such confrontations on minors.
SINGAPORE: Unhappy with a four-year-old boy who had flashed a lewd hand gesture at him, a man assaulted the child and grabbed his right arm in March.
Muhammad Firdhaus Mokhtar, 37, then swung the boy backwards by his arm, causing the child, who was his son’s schoolmate, to fall.
Firdhaus also threatened to break the victim’s finger, and said he would return for him on the following Monday.
On Sept 30, Firdhaus was sentenced to 14 weeks’ jail after pleading guilty to one count each of assault and using criminal force on another person.
He was ordered to fork out S$170 (US$133) in compensation - the cost of the victim’s medical bills.
The child’s mother, who addressed the court on Sept 30, said she was very perturbed by the incident and her son still had nightmares.
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One other newsroom covered this event. We read that version too.
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