Benjamin Glynn trial: Woman without mask shouted in court, asked to leave

SINGAPORE — A woman who was attending the trial of a British expatriate accused of failing to wear a mask in public was led out of the hearing after she shouted in court on Wednesday (18 August).

Partway through the hearing involving Benjamin Glynn, who faces four charges, a loud bang caused by a phone dropping on the floor was heard in court. A woman who was seated in the audience gallery then interrupted the proceedings. The woman was singled out by District Judge Eddy Tham for not wearing a mask and a security guard approached her to remind her to wear her mask.

As the woman was fixing her mask strap, she shouted at the judge, "This is not about a mask, this is about control ...you need my consent?" She also warned security officers who were in court not to "provoke" her.

She then shouted "You don't tell me what to do! I am a living breathing woman, don’t tell me what to do!...I do not respect the judge."

DJ Tham asked for the woman to be escorted out and the trial was stood down for a few minutes for several officers to do so. The woman did not return to the hearing afterwards.

Yahoo News Singapore has contacted the police for comment.

Glynn faces four charges: not wearing a mask while in an MRT train on 7 May, causing public nuisance on 7 May, threatening police officers who went to his residence on 9 May, and failing to wear a mask within and in the vicinity of the State Courts on 2 July.

The trial is ongoing on Wednesday afternoon.

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