'I will break your face': Man jailed after threats on officers asking him to wear mask properly

SINGAPORE — When a female health officer performing safe-distancing measures enforcement measures asked Ravi Sinathamby Subramaniam to cover his nose and mouth with his face mask, he turned aggressive and hurled vulgarities at her.

The 53-year-old Singaporean had also threatened to break another health officer’s face when the man intervened.

Ravi was jailed seven months on Wednesday (6 May) after previously pleading guilty to two charges of verbally abusing a public servant and one of criminal intimidation. Other charges, including breaches of circuit breaker measures by not wearing a mask over his nose and mouth, were taken into consideration for his sentencing.

Disturbing customers while drunk

On 14 April this year, Ravi was standing in a queue at a Hao Mart, located opposite Whampoa Community Club. A caller had alerted the police that Ravi was “disturbing customers”.

At about 7.23pm, Ravi stood in the queue holding a can of beer, reeking of alcohol and complaining loudly that the queue was not properly organised. He had earlier met a friend for a chat.

When officers arrived to interview him, he turned violent, refused to cooperate and tried to leave several times. He also uttered vulgarities at the a police officer.

Ravi’s aggression attracted attention from members of the public, who crowded around to observe the scene. He was arrested at about 8.12 pm for being a public nuisance. Even after he was handcuffed, he continued to shout vulgarities at the officer.

Hurling vulgarities, threatening violence

Four days later, Ravi again caused trouble, after three health officers came across him with a mask over his chin rather than covering his nose and mouth while he was buying food at a coffeeshop at Block 81 Whampoa Drive at about 1pm. The officers were performing safe-distancing measures enforcement.

One of the health officers, a woman, requested that Ravi cover his nose and mouth with his mask, but Ravi turned aggressive and hurled the vulgarities at her.

When a male officer intervened to tell Ravi that they were just doing their job and that they were there to “remind you gently to wear your mask”, Ravi also spewed vulgarities at him.

He added, “You don’t let me see you again, if not I will break your face.”

The woman officer feared that Ravi would attack them and called the police. The officers watched as Ravi entered a convenience store. When he exited the store, he repeated his threat, “The next time I see you, I will break your face.”

The three officers stopped interacting with Ravi for fear of their personal safety.

Lengthy criminal history

Ravi, who was unrepresented, told the court, “I apologise to court and civil servants for what I have done – without my knowledge, because I was drunk.”

The prosecution sought at least 10 months’ jail for Ravi, whom it said had a lengthy criminal history, including robbery with hurt, snatch theft, and outrage of modesty. Ravi had also threatened his brother last year with a chopper and boiling water.

“The courts must send an unequivocal message that persons who not only wilfully defy the actions of frontline officers enforcing anti-COVID-19 measures but also go on to abuse, threaten or use violence against our frontline officers will face stiff sentences,” Deputy Public Prosecutor Timotheus Koh said.

DPP Koh added that Ravi continued to be a menace to society and appeared to be directing his offending behaviour at public servants.

For abusing public servants, Ravi could have been jailed up to a year, and fined up to $5,000, or both. For criminal intimidation to cause grievous injury, he could have been jailed up to 10 years, or fined, or both.

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