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SINGAPORE – A man struck his grandmother\u2019s domestic helper with a knife and threatened to stab her, during an argument that started with him asking her for the model of her mobile phone.<\/p>\n
Jerome Jayce Ng, 41, was sentenced to eight months and 10 weeks\u2019 imprisonment on Dec 18 after pleading guilty to criminal intimidation and two other charges related to separate incidents \u2013 theft and voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant.<\/p>\n
For the three charges, the prosecution asked for a sentence of between six to nine months and 10 to 12 weeks for Ng, noting that he had several prior convictions for theft.<\/p>\n
At the time of the incident involving the domestic helper, which took place on Feb 3, Ng lived with his grandmother and the helper in the same flat.<\/p>\n
The helper, identified in court documents as \u201cMarita\u201d, was sitting in the kitchen eating crisps when Ng walked in and asked what her mobile phone model was.<\/p>\n
Marita said she did not know, as her sister was the one who bought the phone.<\/p>\n
As the conversation became heated, Ng went to the sink and took hold of a knife.<\/p>\n
He walked towards Marita and struck her on the left arm, and threatened to stab her in the stomach and chest. He also said that he wanted to kill her.<\/p>\n
Ng then offered the knife to Marita and challenged her to a fight while assuming a boxing stance. <\/p>\n
They did not engage in a physical fight. Marita made a police report on the same day. <\/p>\n
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicole Teo said that Ng \u201cwas from the household of the victim\u2019s employer, and would have exercised at least some implicit authority over her\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo that end, the offence was an abuse of the trust expected of their employer-employee relationship,\u201d the DPP added. <\/p>\n
For criminal intimidation, an offender may be jailed for up to two years, fined, or both. <\/p>\n
Ng also committed the offence of voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant in August when he kicked a police officer.<\/p>\n
On Aug 10, Ng was sitting on a bench near Chong Boon Market & Food Centre in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 at around 9.20pm when he was approached by two police officers, who spotted him with vapes. <\/p>\n
Ng was asked to hand over the vapes, but he refused and began arguing with the officers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the course of this argument, the accused used multiple vulgarities against them. He also challenged them to fight,\u201d said DPP Teo, who added that more police officers came to the scene to manage Ng. <\/p>\n
As Ng was uncooperative, an officer placed handcuffs on him. In retaliation, Ng kicked the officer\u2019s leg. <\/p>\n
He kicked the same officer two more times in the leg when he was being searched. <\/p>\n
Ng was taken to Ang Mo Kio South Neighbourhood Police Centre that night.<\/p>\n
DPP Teo said that Ng had persisted in his behaviour despite being told not to kick the police officer, and committed the offence in a public location. <\/p>\n
For voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant, an offender can be jailed for up to seven years, caned or fined. <\/p>\n
Ng\u2019s conviction on one count of theft was for stealing a mobile phone from a coffee shop in Jalan Kayu in 2023.<\/p>\n
He was at the coffee shop on May 6, 2023, to attend an interview for a cleaner position, when he grabbed a mobile phone that was left unattended at one of the stalls.<\/p>\n
The phone, which belonged to the coffee shop\u2019s supervisor, was used to scan customers\u2019 CDC vouchers, and was worth about $200.<\/p>\n
The court heard that Ng has since made full restitution for the stolen phone. <\/p>\n
Those convicted of theft can be jailed for up to seven years and fined. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n