GEIS-新闻详情

Teen, 19, admits to assaulting boy in youth home

2021-11-01 00:00:00.0 海峡时报-新加坡原网页

SINGAPORE - He lived in a home for children and youths and was unhappy with a fellow resident, who he felt was arrogant and "acting big". The 19-year-old, together with his twin brother and two other youths, who all also lived in the home, attacked the victim, raining punches on him in an incident in October 2018.

On Monday (Nov 1), the teenager pleaded guilty to one charge each of voluntarily causing hurt with common intention and using abusive words towards a public servant.

He was initially charged in January last year with sexually penetrating the victim - then aged 14 - with different objects also in October 2018, but those charges have been withdrawn. He cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the victim's identity.

The case of his twin brother will be heard on Nov 8. The other two youths - aged 17 and 19 - will be dealt with separately.

The court heard that the four boys had sneaked into the victim's room in the home at around 10pm and launched the assault.

As they rained blows on his head, stomach and back, the victim used his hands to shield his face.

Initially, the victim stayed mum about the incident and did not seek medical treatment. After another instance of bullying, he told a friend what had happened.

A social worker at the home was alerted and he lodged a police report in November 2018.

In a separate incident on May 13, 2019, the 19-year-old verbally abused a police officer.

His twin brother had called the police as the accused was behaving aggressively towards his mother during an argument.

When the police arrived at the unit, they tried to calm him down but to no avail. As he was being escorted to the police car, he shouted expletives at an officer.

District Judge May Mesenas postponed sentencing pending a probation report.