A 56-year-old man has been charged with criminal intimidation after he allegedly harassed a 14-year-old girl at a coffee shop in Woodlands and threw a glass in front of her when she refused to drink with him.<\/p>\n
According to an anonymous post \u2014 apparently written by the girl\u2019s mother \u2014<\/a> on the Complaint Singapore Facebook group, the family of five had visited a coffee shop at Block 167 Woodlands Street 11 at around 7pm on July 15.<\/p>\n While her 14-year-old daughter was alone at a table, a man who was \u201cintoxicated\u201d allegedly began harassing the girl and asked her to drink beer with him.<\/p>\n When the teenager refused, the man seemingly became \u201chostile\u201d and started shouting vulgarities.<\/p>\n \u201cTerrified, my daughter immediately stood up and walk away. Shockingly, as she tried to retreat, he violently threw a glass cup and a chair in her direction,\u201d her mother wrote in the post, clarifying that she was not hurt by the shattered glass.<\/p>\n The woman recalled that the man \u201cdid not back down\u201d even when her husband confronted him, and instead challenged the latter to a fight.<\/p>\n She added that staff members at the coffee shop had informed them that the man was a regular there, and that similar incidents had happened in the past.<\/p>\n \u201cA 14-year-old child should be able to sit in a neighborhood eatery without fearing for her physical safety, and families shouldn\u2019t have to deal with drunken brawlers,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n When Shin Min Daily News visited the coffee shop<\/a> on July 16, a 28-year-old assistant at a Western food stall, identified only as Hafiz (transliterated), said he saw the girl sitting alone before the man approached her.<\/p>\n He recalled that a commotion broke out shortly after, followed by the sound of breaking glass.<\/p>\n \u201cThe girl appeared to be so frightened that she cried. Police arrived shortly afterwards and arrested the man. He is a regular customer here,\u201d Hafiz said.<\/p>\n Court documents identified the accused as 56-year-old Xie Jianzhong (transliteration).<\/p>\n According to the charge sheet, Xie allegedly picked up a glass mug and threw it onto the ground in front of the victim, intending to scare her when it shattered.<\/p>\n He has been charged with one count of criminal intimidation and was released on $5,000 bail. His case has been adjourned to July 31 for a further mention.<\/p>\n If convicted of criminal intimidation<\/a>, he faces up to 10 years\u2019 jail, a fine, or both.<\/p>\n Stomp has reached out to the coffee shop management for more information.<\/p>\n Have something to say? Join in!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Explore more on these topics<\/p>\n<\/div>\n See something interesting? Contribute<\/a> your story to us.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>\nTeen \u2018appeared to be so frightened that she cried\u2019: Stall assistant<\/h2>\n
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