A 56-year-old man has been charged in court after he allegedly threw a glass towards a 14-year-old girl at a coffee shop in Woodlands, in an incident that reportedly left the teenager traumatised.
The incident took place at around 7pm on Wednesday (15 July) at Food Hub coffee shop, located beneath Block 167 Woodlands Street 11.
According to a social media post shared anonymously by the girl’s mother, the family had been having dinner when she and her husband briefly left the table to order food, leaving their eldest daughter seated alone.
Teenager Allegedly Harassed Before Glass Was Thrown
The mother alleged that a man who appeared to be intoxicated approached her daughter and invited her to drink with him.
After the teenager refused, the man allegedly became angry and started shouting vulgarities. Frightened by the confrontation, the girl stood up and attempted to walk away from the table.
The mother claimed the man then threw a glass and a chair in her daughter’s direction. Fortunately, the teenager was not physically injured during the incident.
She also alleged that when her husband returned to the table, the man continued behaving aggressively and challenged him to a fight instead of calming down.
Witnesses Say Teenager Was Left Distressed
Witnesses at the coffee shop said they heard the commotion before police arrived.
A 28-year-old assistant working at a western food stall said he saw the teenage girl sitting alone before the man approached her. He recalled hearing the sound of shattering glass shortly afterwards.
According to the witness, the girl appeared visibly shaken and was believed to have cried following the incident. Police later questioned the man at the scene before arresting him.
Several stallholders and regular patrons told local media that the accused is a familiar face at the coffee shop and is frequently seen drinking alcohol there.
One diner said the man had consumed a significant amount of alcohol that evening and appeared upset after being rejected. Another stallholder described him as having a flushed face and repeatedly shouting vulgarities during the disturbance.
Man Faces Criminal Intimidation Charge
Court records identify the accused as 56-year-old Xie Jianzhong (name transliterated from Chinese).
He has been charged with one count of criminal intimidation.
According to the charge, he allegedly picked up a glass and threw it onto the ground in front of the victim, intending to frighten her when it shattered.
The accused has been released on S$5,000 bail, and the case has been adjourned to 31 July.
If convicted of criminal intimidation, he could face up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.
The allegations remain before the courts, and the accused is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.