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SINGAPORE – Following an argument with his father over his allowance, a 15-year-old boy charged at his parent with a knife and punched the man\u2019s face. <\/p>\n
Over a year following that incident, the teenager used a knife to threaten his maternal uncle, who had refused to give him money.<\/p>\n
On Jan 5, the offender, who is now 17 years old, was ordered to undergo reformative training for at least a year after he pleaded guilty to one count each of assault, criminal intimidation, harassment and cheating by personation.<\/p>\n
The teen, who cannot be named due to a gag order, had also used a fake identity card to try and collect a mobile phone from a store, in response to an advertisement to earn \u201cfast cash\u201d.<\/p>\n
During reformative training, youth offenders are detained in a centre to undergo a strict regimen that can include foot drills and counselling.<\/p>\n
Court documents stated that the offender and his 51-year-old father were in a Housing Board flat on July 14, 2024, when they started arguing over the amount the teenager should receive as his allowance. <\/p>\n
During the tiff, the teenager went into his room, retrieved a karambit \u2013 a knife that has a curved blade \u2013 and charged towards his father.<\/p>\n
The man managed to wrestle the knife away from his son, but the latter punched his face.<\/p>\n
On March 8, 2025, the pair got into an argument over air-conditioner usage. The teen then retrieved a knife with a 23cm-long blade from his room.<\/p>\n
After that, he held the knife while standing near his father and keeping silent. <\/p>\n
Deputy Public Prosecutor Vishnu Menon said: \u201cThe accused behaved in this threatening manner, intending to cause alarm to the victim.\u201d<\/p>\n
The teenager was later living with his maternal uncle when he asked the man for $30 on Oct 25, 2025, but was turned down. <\/p>\n
The boy then retrieved a karambit from his room and placed the weapon at his uncle\u2019s throat, asking the man if \u201che knew he could be killed\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Straits Times had earlier reported that there has been an increase in the number of knife-related crimes.<\/p>\n
There were 75 such incidents reported in the first half of 2025, up from 59 in the same period in 2024. There were 131 incidents for the whole of 2024. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n