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https://sg.news.yahoo.com/woman-fra...ruction-mother-jailed-8-months-075455594.html
Woman who fractured mother-in-law's finger on instruction of mother jailed 8 months
Wan Ting Koh
Reporter
Yahoo News Singapore 2 August 2018
Singapore state courts (Yahoo News Singapore file photo)
When Kavitha Palanisamy’s mother told her to break her mother-in-law’s hand, she pulled the elderly woman’s little finger backwards to the point that it fractured.
The 30-year-old Singaporean was sentenced to eight months’ jail on Thursday (2 August) after she admitted to one count of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to her mother-in-law, Arukkaniammal Palanisami, 69.
Kavitha also breached a personal protection order against her by her-mother-in-law when she punched the latter in the face twice on 9 July last year. These offences were taken into consideration for her sentencing.
At the time of the offence, the two resided in a flat together with Arukkaniammal’s 43-year-old son – who is Kavitha’s brother-in- law – the family’s maid, and Arukkaniammal’s 83-year-old husband.
Investigations showed that on 22 July last year, Kavitha called the police, claiming that she had locked herself out of the house and that Arukkaniammal did not want to open the door. In reality, she had only locked herself out of her room.
After her brother-in-law and father-in-law unlocked the door, Kavitha retrieved her mobile phone from her room and walked into the living room. When Arukkaniammal asked to see Kavitha’s phone, the latter refused and pulled her hand out of the way when Arukkaniammal reached out for it.
Kavitha’s mother, who was also in the living room, then told her daughter to break her mother-in-law’s hand. This prompted Kavitha to grab Arukkaniammal’s right little finger and bend it backwards while also pulling her hair. Arukkaniammal screamed in pain and bit Kavitha on her left arm.
The family’s maid intervened by pulling Arukkaniammal away. Kavitha’s brother-in-law then called the police for assistance, and police officers responding to the first call arrived shortly after.
Arukkaniammal was conveyed to the hospital and was diagnosed with deformity and bruising of her little finger as well as a fracture above the joint. She was given seven days of medical leave.
‘Inconsequential events’
In seeking a sentence of eight months, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Delicia Tan said that even though Arukkaniammal cried out in pain, Kavitha did not flinch.
According to DPP Tan, Kavitha also has a propensity to act out against her mother-in-law, as seen by the other occasions she used violence on her.
Lawyer R. Kalamohan, who represented Kavitha, said the incident arose out of “inconsequential events”. He said that Arukkaniammal was the perpetuator of the incident as she had tried to grab the mobile phone from Kavitha.
“It was the victim who went forward to grab the phone of (Kavitha), this is what started the incident,” he said.
He added that his client had been “chased out of the house” after the incident and is living alone in a rented room. She is currently undergoing divorce proceedings with her husband, with whom she has two children.
Her client, who came to Singapore in 2009, was confined to her home with nobody to talk and cry to, said the lawyer. Kalamohan sought to call a pre-sentencing probation report for Kavitha, to assess her suitability for probation.
But DPP Tan disagreed with a probation sentence, which is usually reserved for young offenders and involves supervision of the offender rather than jail time.
District Judge (DJ) May Mesenas concurred with DPP Tan, saying that the offence was too serious for probation. “I don’t think violence should be meted out ever in the face of frustration,” said the DJ.
Woman who fractured mother-in-law's finger on instruction of mother jailed 8 months
Wan Ting Koh
Reporter
Yahoo News Singapore 2 August 2018
Singapore state courts (Yahoo News Singapore file photo)
When Kavitha Palanisamy’s mother told her to break her mother-in-law’s hand, she pulled the elderly woman’s little finger backwards to the point that it fractured.
The 30-year-old Singaporean was sentenced to eight months’ jail on Thursday (2 August) after she admitted to one count of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to her mother-in-law, Arukkaniammal Palanisami, 69.
Kavitha also breached a personal protection order against her by her-mother-in-law when she punched the latter in the face twice on 9 July last year. These offences were taken into consideration for her sentencing.
At the time of the offence, the two resided in a flat together with Arukkaniammal’s 43-year-old son – who is Kavitha’s brother-in- law – the family’s maid, and Arukkaniammal’s 83-year-old husband.
Investigations showed that on 22 July last year, Kavitha called the police, claiming that she had locked herself out of the house and that Arukkaniammal did not want to open the door. In reality, she had only locked herself out of her room.
After her brother-in-law and father-in-law unlocked the door, Kavitha retrieved her mobile phone from her room and walked into the living room. When Arukkaniammal asked to see Kavitha’s phone, the latter refused and pulled her hand out of the way when Arukkaniammal reached out for it.
Kavitha’s mother, who was also in the living room, then told her daughter to break her mother-in-law’s hand. This prompted Kavitha to grab Arukkaniammal’s right little finger and bend it backwards while also pulling her hair. Arukkaniammal screamed in pain and bit Kavitha on her left arm.
The family’s maid intervened by pulling Arukkaniammal away. Kavitha’s brother-in-law then called the police for assistance, and police officers responding to the first call arrived shortly after.
Arukkaniammal was conveyed to the hospital and was diagnosed with deformity and bruising of her little finger as well as a fracture above the joint. She was given seven days of medical leave.
‘Inconsequential events’
In seeking a sentence of eight months, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Delicia Tan said that even though Arukkaniammal cried out in pain, Kavitha did not flinch.
According to DPP Tan, Kavitha also has a propensity to act out against her mother-in-law, as seen by the other occasions she used violence on her.
Lawyer R. Kalamohan, who represented Kavitha, said the incident arose out of “inconsequential events”. He said that Arukkaniammal was the perpetuator of the incident as she had tried to grab the mobile phone from Kavitha.
“It was the victim who went forward to grab the phone of (Kavitha), this is what started the incident,” he said.
He added that his client had been “chased out of the house” after the incident and is living alone in a rented room. She is currently undergoing divorce proceedings with her husband, with whom she has two children.
Her client, who came to Singapore in 2009, was confined to her home with nobody to talk and cry to, said the lawyer. Kalamohan sought to call a pre-sentencing probation report for Kavitha, to assess her suitability for probation.
But DPP Tan disagreed with a probation sentence, which is usually reserved for young offenders and involves supervision of the offender rather than jail time.
District Judge (DJ) May Mesenas concurred with DPP Tan, saying that the offence was too serious for probation. “I don’t think violence should be meted out ever in the face of frustration,” said the DJ.
