http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/student-jailed-for-slashing-national-day-banner-at-the-treasury
Student jailed for slashing National Day banner at The Treasury
As they walked past The Treasury, Gunaseelan used a knife to slash a red National Day banner that was fixed to a pillar of the building. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM GOOGLE MAP
Published
Jul 7, 2017, 5:55 pm SGT
Elena Chong
Court Correspondent
SINGAPORE - A student was walking to Raffles City for supper with his two friends early one morning about a year ago, when he slashed a National Day banner at The Treasury multiple times .
Gunaseelan Anpalagan, 23, who is a freelance telemarketer, was jailed for 12 weeks on Friday (July 7), for being found armed with a foldable knife and for mischief at the High Street building at 3.56am on July 31, 2016.
He had pleaded guilty to the two charges.
According to Gunaseelan, he had broken up with his girlfriend in July 2016 and was feeling down.
On July 30, he had drinks with a friend near Central Mall. At about 1am, they met another friend of Gunaseelan's at Liang Court shopping mall. There, Gunaseelan found a foldable knife in the toilet and kept it.
Subsequently, the trio walked towards Raffles City to have supper at McDonald's.
As they walked past the building, Gunaseelan used the knife to slash a red National Day banner that was fixed to a pillar of the building.
He was captured on closed-circuit television slashing the banner at least 13 times before walking away. His two friends, who were walking in front of him, were not aware of what he had done.
The cost of replacing the banner is about $70. Full restitution has been made to the Ministry of Finance.
Gunaseelan could have been jailed for up to one year and/or fined for mischief.
The maximum penalty for being armed with a knife without lawful authority is two years' jail.
Student jailed for slashing National Day banner at The Treasury
As they walked past The Treasury, Gunaseelan used a knife to slash a red National Day banner that was fixed to a pillar of the building. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM GOOGLE MAP
Published
Jul 7, 2017, 5:55 pm SGT
Elena Chong
Court Correspondent
SINGAPORE - A student was walking to Raffles City for supper with his two friends early one morning about a year ago, when he slashed a National Day banner at The Treasury multiple times .
Gunaseelan Anpalagan, 23, who is a freelance telemarketer, was jailed for 12 weeks on Friday (July 7), for being found armed with a foldable knife and for mischief at the High Street building at 3.56am on July 31, 2016.
He had pleaded guilty to the two charges.
According to Gunaseelan, he had broken up with his girlfriend in July 2016 and was feeling down.
On July 30, he had drinks with a friend near Central Mall. At about 1am, they met another friend of Gunaseelan's at Liang Court shopping mall. There, Gunaseelan found a foldable knife in the toilet and kept it.
Subsequently, the trio walked towards Raffles City to have supper at McDonald's.
As they walked past the building, Gunaseelan used the knife to slash a red National Day banner that was fixed to a pillar of the building.
He was captured on closed-circuit television slashing the banner at least 13 times before walking away. His two friends, who were walking in front of him, were not aware of what he had done.
The cost of replacing the banner is about $70. Full restitution has been made to the Ministry of Finance.
Gunaseelan could have been jailed for up to one year and/or fined for mischief.
The maximum penalty for being armed with a knife without lawful authority is two years' jail.
