Salesman jailed 7 weeks for assaulting elderly couple in Punggol's Waterway Point; had slammed 60-year-old woman’s head into wall
State Prosecuting Officer Ng Chee Wee had asked for up to 12 weeks’ jail as Goh had 'brutally assaulted elderly victims' and injured them in vulnerable spots.
SINGAPORE – A 41-year-old Singaporean salesman was sentenced to seven weeks’ jail after he assaulted an elderly couple who felt that he had been rude when serving them. Local media CNA reported that Goh Wei Yew was working at a store in Waterway Point when he interacted with the couple, and had a conversation with them that got heated.
Both parties left the store, and Goh later approached the couple at another area within the mall. He then proceeded to punch them and even slammed the 60-year-old female victim’s head into a wall. He pleaded guilty in court to two counts of voluntarily causing hurt on Wednesday (13 March).
According to CNA, the couple had initially approached Goh at the Xiaomi store in Waterway Point with questions about the televisions sold there.
The couple felt that Goh was being rude to them, and their conversation became a verbal dispute. The 66-year-old male customer then took a photo of Goh before leaving the store.
Shortly after, Goh asked to leave for the day, as he was not feeling well and wanted to go home. On his way out, he spotted the couple while he was on the escalator going in the opposite direction.
As he felt that they had wronged him, he went to back Basement 1 of the mall to confront them, CNA reported.
Assault on couple stopped only after two passers-by intervened
Goh found the woman outside the entrance of the Bedroom Affairs shop, and asked her why she had been staring at him on the escalator. The woman responded by telling Goh not to come near her.
He was angered by that, and went on to grab her head and slam her against a nearby wall. He then punched the back of her head and caused her to fall.
Her companion heard her shouts and rushed over. Goh proceeded to punch the left side of his head and pushed him to the ground.
When the woman got up to stop Goh, he pushed her to the ground, kicked her head and then slammed her against a cabinet when she tried to get up. The attack was halted by two passers-by, who held Goh back and escorted him from the shop.
The assault, which lasted approximately 30 seconds, was captured by a closed-circuit camera. The couple suffered from multiple abrasions and bruising, CNA reported.
Had prior convictions, previously received 12 strokes of the cane
The court heard that Goh had been previously convicted of attempted theft, as well as robbery and snatch theft in 2000. He had been jailed for five years and given 12 strokes of the cane for the latter two offences.
CNA reported that State Prosecuting Officer Ng Chee Wee asked for up to 12 weeks’ jail as Goh had “brutally assaulted elderly victims” and injured them in vulnerable spots.
Goh did not have a lawyer in court. He apologised for his actions and asked for a lighter sentence. He had also paid for the medical bills of the couple.
CNA reported that District Judge Brenda Chua noted Goh's assault on the female victim had been more sustained and violent.
Goh could have been jailed for up to three years and fined up to $5,000.
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