Man jailed for burning mattress, beating elderly man at Bukit Batok nursing home

Jahalal attacked Mr Chua again on Nov 18, 2024, when the latter asked him to leave the hall repeatedly.

Besides slapping and punching Mr Chua, Jahalal also stepped on the victim’s chest while he was on the ground. Mr Chua suffered injuries to his left elbow and had to wear an arm sling.

On Aug 15, Jahalal was unhappy with the food served to him and acted out by throwing down a mattress from the second level of the home.

He then went to the first floor and set fire to the mattress with a lighter.

A staff member of the home extinguished the fire and called the police. Jahalal was arrested and remanded for one day.

On Sept 26, Jahalal slapped a female resident on her face twice, threw a chair at a male staff member, and hit him with it.

Another staff member called the police. Jahalal was arrested and has been in remand since.

DPP Ng sought an imprisonment term of 14 to 17 weeks for his offences, and an additional 49 to 63 days for Jahalal, noting the frequency of his offending behaviour.

He said: “The accused has demonstrated a consistent pattern of antisocial and aggressive behaviour over the course of over two years while living in the Bukit Batok Home for the Aged.

“It should be strongly impressed upon the accused that he cannot continue to behave in such a manner should he continue living in a home.”

He highlighted that Jahalal committed the offences against the same victim in the span of eight months, and was the aggressor on both occasions.

In mitigation, Jahalal, who appeared in court via video link, told the judge through an interpreter: “I apologise for my offence and I hope Your Honour can send me back to the (home) as soon as possible.”

For voluntarily causing hurt, an offender can be jailed for up to three years, fined up to $5,000, or both.

For mischief by fire, an offender can be jailed for up to seven years and fined.