Juvenile delinquency has once again captured headlines, shedding light on a disturbing case involving a teenager whose criminal exploits took a chaotic turn on an MRT train, among a slew of numerous offences, according to The Straits Times.
The accused, now 20 years old, pleaded guilty to using criminal force on a public servant, public nuisance and cheating; and he was supposed to be sentenced on 15 November but it was adjourned to 27 November instead.
He cannot be named as he was under 18 at the time of some of his offences, under the Children and Young Persons Act.
Introduction
At the tender age of 16, the youth embarked on a criminal journey orchestrated by a 20-year-old accomplice known in court documents as A2.
The scheme promised easy money to participants willing to relinquish control of their bank accounts for illicit activities, primarily online gambling.
A2 lured the teenager with promises of financial gain, offering $200 per month for each bank account that he gave the syndicate.
The boy agreed on 17 May 2020 and gave him control of his bank account, which the syndicate used for illicit transactions involving $477,000 in deposits and $473 in withdrawals.
The criminal enterprise involved at least 98 suspects and 170 bank accounts, with investigations still underway to uncover the full scope of the operation.
On 18 May 2020, after being told by A2 that he would give him another $200 per month if he opened a bank account with another bank for them to use, the boy agreed and went to open a bank account, lying to the bank officer that it was for his personal use.
IV. Unrelated Case
In an unrelated incident at Clarke Quay, the offender found himself in a dispute over a bar bill, leading to a scuffle with the police.
Following the dispute with the bar employees love the bill, the police were alerted when a fight broke out. Among the officers deployed was a 29-year-old policeman, who was shoved by the youth before being arrested and later released on bail.
V. MRT Train Incident
The chaos reached new heights when the teenager, seemingly intoxicated, boarded an MRT train. His disruptive behavior escalated to a confrontation with a 66-year-old man, where he not only threatened violence but also attempted physical harm.
He was disturbing the other commuters inside the train by speaking loudly to them but was largely ignored, before turning his attention to a 66-year-old man sitting nearby.
The victim then got up to alight at Kembangan MRT station when the accused then challenged him to a fight and used vulgarities on him.
He also tried to punch the elderly man but the victim dodged his blows and pushed him away, causing the accused to fall down as the other computers then stepped forward and pinned him down on the ground.
The SMRT staff were then alerted to the incident and he was then bought out of the station, before they called the police for help.
However, before the police could arrive, the boy had already fled the scene; but he was subsequently arrested soon after.