Man fined $7k for hurling vulgarities at TTSH doctor, police officers while drunk
Nadine Chua
Sep 18, 2024
SINGAPORE – A man who hurled vulgarities at a security officer, police officers and a doctor who was treating him at a hospital was sentenced on Sept 18.
Mohanarajan Mohan, 30, was fined $7,000 after pleading guilty to two charges under the Protection from Harassment Act.
State Prosecuting Officer A. Majeed Yosuff said that on April 14, Mohanarajan was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital in an unconscious state.
As he was being examined by a doctor at the hospital’s accident and emergency (A&E) department, he woke up.
The prosecutor said Mohanarajan, who was drunk, insisted on being discharged and began verbally abusing the doctor and the staff.
When an auxiliary police officer arrived and tried to calm him down, Mohanarajan shouted vulgarities at him too.
As Mohanarajan was escorted out of the A&E department, he continued yelling at the auxiliary police officer.
Outside, two police officers who were called to the scene approached Mohanarajan to speak to him.
However, he shouted vulgarities at one of the officers and said: “By law, I am not inside the hospital, right? Can you guys leave me alone?”
When more police officers arrived, he verbally abused them too and was subsequently arrested.
While in the police car, he continued to verbally abuse the officers, and kicked the interior of the vehicle repeatedly despite being told not to, said the prosecutor.
In mitigation, Mohanarajan, who was unrepresented, said he was going through a divorce at the time of his offences, and was stressed and depressed.
“I am very remorseful for what I did, and I do not want to repeat these offences because I respect Singapore’s law and regulations,” he said.
He sought leniency from the judge, adding that he is attending counselling sessions as well as pursuing a diploma.
In sentencing, District Judge Sandra Looi told Mohanarajan: “I am heartened to hear that you are pursuing education and are determined to never be in a similar state as you are in today again.”
She added: “We seek your and our community’s understanding that our public service officers who serve our society deserve our utmost respect. That I am sure we all will agree.”
Between 2018 and 2022, there were 315 police reports of abuse or harassment of public healthcare workers who were on duty.
Ninety-nine police reports were made in 2022, an increase from the 71 reports filed in 2021.
To curb such abuse, a standardised framework aimed at protecting healthcare workers from abuse and harassment was launched in December 2023.
The framework includes a common definition of abuse and harassment, standardised protocols for response and measures that can be taken against abusers.
At the launch of this framework, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said that medical staff should not be expected to tolerate abuse.
He added that while the vast majority of patients and their next of kin are respectful to and appreciative of healthcare workers, there is a small minority who resort to words and actions that are abusive.
