'No right to be in Singapore': 20-year-old who threw mug at maid sentenced

SINGAPORE - A youth who flung a metal mug at his family's domestic helper, fracturing her nose, was sentenced on Tuesday (Sept 1) to at least six months' reformative training.

This means, Ng Jia Sheng, now 20, will be detained at a centre and follow a strict regimen that includes foot drills and counselling.

The Singaporean pleaded guilty in June to using criminal force on Ms Estabillo Soledad Agustin in 2018, as well as causing grievous hurt by performing a rash act.

He also admitted to using insulting words on the 41-year-old Filipina that caused her alarm, which is an offence under the Protection from Harassment Act.

Ms Agustin has since returned to the Philippines.

Court documents said Ng and Ms Agustin were involved in a dispute at his family home in Greenwood Avenue near Dunearn Road on June 7, 2018.

Ng had asked the maid to turn on an air-conditioner and became angry when she replied in "an irritated manner".

The two subsequently got into an argument after Ms Agustin switched it on and threw the controller on a table.

Court documents stated that the argument escalated to the point where both parties were shouting at each other.

The youth then spat at Ms Agustin's face. She responded in kind.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Zhou Yihong had earlier said: "During the altercation, the accused told the victim that she was only a maid, was poor and had no right to be in Singapore."

The DPP added that Ng followed Ms Agustin to the kitchen after his father intervened and separated both of them.

Ng then picked up a metal mug, threw it at the maid and it struck her face.

She started crying and retaliated by throwing various objects such as plastic medicine bottles and a plastic jug at Ng, before his brother restrained her.

None of the items she threw hit Ng.

Ms Agustin then went outside the gate of the house and told another maid to call the police.

She was examined by a doctor at Tan Tock Seng Hospital later that day, and was found to have suffered multiple facial injuries, including a fracture on her nose.

Ng is now out on bail of $10,000 and will have to surrender himself at the State Courts on Nov 20 to begin serving his sentence.

For causing grievous hurt by a rash act, an offender can be jailed for up to four years and fined up to $10,000.

For using criminal force, Ng could have been jailed for up to three months and fined a maximum $1,500.

He could have been jailed for up to six months and fined up to $5,000 for using insulting words to cause alarm to a person.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.