Two brothers in Singapore have been handed jail sentences after being involved in two separate but troubling incidents that unfolded in public spaces in Sembawang, one of which involved the assault of a police officer during an early morning patrol, while the other saw a woman being attacked outside a private condominium.
The men, aged 42 and 37, were convicted after facing multiple charges each, including obstructing a public servant, using criminal force, and breaching public order laws. The court heard that both incidents were linked by aggressive behaviour and a refusal to comply with basic instructions, with personal mobility aids (PMAs) playing a role in both cases.
In sentencing, the judge noted the seriousness of the offences, particularly the assault on a police officer performing his duties. The older brother received a jail term of five weeks, while the younger brother was sentenced to seven weeks after pleading guilty to more charges.
Sembawang Park incident escalated quickly
The first incident took place in the early hours of the morning at Sembawang Park, where a police officer on patrol encountered the brothers and several family members. They were seated on PMAs, playing loud music and smoking, both of which are prohibited in public parks.
Investigations revealed that the group had arrived at the park hours earlier and had consumed alcohol on-site. When officers asked them to lower the volume and stop smoking, the situation escalated rapidly. The brothers questioned the enforcement action loudly and became increasingly confrontational.
One of the brothers reportedly challenged officers to arrest him and even invited them to fight. He provided a false identification number when asked for his details and repeatedly refused to produce proper identification. Verbal abuse towards the officers continued for an extended period, despite attempts to calm the situation.
Obstruction, false accusations and arrest
The confrontation worsened when an officer attempted to inspect a bag belonging to the group. The brothers obstructed the inspection and demanded that the officer switch off his body-worn camera. One of them fled the scene on a PMA but was later stopped by the officer, at which point he allegedly rammed into the officer and continued hurling vulgarities.
The court heard that the situation dragged on for over 20 minutes, with the brothers’ mother attempting unsuccessfully to de-escalate matters. During the scuffle, the officer was also struck by the wife of one of the brothers, prompting further chaos. A false accusation of molestation was then levelled against the officer, compounding the seriousness of the incident. All parties were subsequently arrested.
Woman assaulted outside condominium
In a separate incident months later, the same brothers were involved in another act of violence outside a condominium in Sembawang. A woman had asked them to slow down as they rode past her at high speed on their PMAs. Instead of complying, the brothers reacted aggressively.
One of them pushed her phone away, while the other slapped her with a slipper and shouted vulgar remarks at her. The unprovoked nature of the attack was highlighted in court as an aggravating factor, reinforcing the pattern of hostility displayed by the pair in public settings.
The cases have reignited public discussion around PMA misuse, public safety, and the consequences of aggressive behaviour in shared spaces, especially as enforcement against anti-social conduct in Singapore continues to tighten.