Man fined after firing slingshot at pigeons, leaving hole in neighbour's window
Slingshots seized from Yu Xueyao, who used one on pigeons. (Photos: Court documents, CNA)
Listen to this article
2 min
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
Lydia Lam
25 Mar 2024 05:27PM
SINGAPORE: A man bought a slingshot along with clay and steel ammunition online and used it at a multi-storey car park in Jurong West.
However, when he fired his slingshot at some pigeons, the ammunition ricocheted and blew a hole in the kitchen window of a second-floor flat.
Yu Xueyao, a 37-year-old Singaporean, was fined S$1,500 (US$1,110) by a court on Monday (Mar 25).
He pleaded guilty to one count of a rash act endangering personal safety. Two other charges of possessing an offensive weapon and cruelly terrifying birds were taken into consideration.
The court heard that Xu bought the items online from Chinese web marketplaces in November 2022.
He practised using the slingshot at a multi-storey car park near his block, taking care not to do so if there were vehicles around.
At about 12.40pm on Feb 11, 2023, he decided to use his slingshot on some nearby pigeons at Block 645 Jurong West Street 61.
He fired it at the birds, causing them to take flight.
However, the ammunition ricocheted and hit the kitchen window of a nearby flat, leaving a hole in the glass.
The owner of the flat had left for lunch and returned at about 1.35pm to discover the damaged window.
He lodged a police report and replaced the window for S$1,030. Yu has paid the victim this amount in full.
Two slingshots were confiscated from Yu.
The prosecutor sought a fine of S$1,500 to S$2,500, saying a message had to be sent that the duty is on buyers to ensure that what they do with what they buy online is legal in Singapore instead of just assuming it is.
However, he noted that the damage was "not very serious" and that the cost of replacement was high because the home owner is believed to have replaced the whole window.
Defence lawyer Kalaithasan Karuppaya said his client has taken responsibility for his actions, cooperated with authorities and voluntarily made compensation.
"He did not set out to deliberately cause property damage," said the lawyer. "It's an accident. My client accepts that what he did is wrong in the laws of Singapore."
He added that Yu would "not do such an offence again".
Source: CNA/ll(kg)
