Man takes out protection order against son’s alleged attacker
Man allegedly threatens to kill boy, 11. He receives court order to leave victim’s family alone
A playground spat between two boys, one aged 11 and the other 10, turned nasty when the latter's father allegedly assaulted the other boy.
The incident, which occurred at a Bukit Timah condominium on May 17, was captured on closed-circuit television (CCTV).
The grainy CCTV footage, which was timed at 6.47pm, shows the man and his alleged victim heading towards a lift lobby.
It then shows the man swinging his hand across the boy's face or back in the presence of a security guard.
About 15 minutes earlier at the condo playground, the boy had apparently gone to the defence of his younger brother and ended up tangling with the man's son.
The victim's father made a police report the next day and later obtained an Expedited Protection Order (EPO) from the Family Court to protect his family.
We are not naming the parties involved to protect the identity of the boys.
The alleged attacker, a senior bank executive, and his wife, an agency director, who were named in the EPO issued on June 8, were ordered not to harass the 11-year-old boy, his younger brother and his parents.
They are also not to use vulgar language, have physical contact or behave in any manner that may cause psychological fear to the boy and his family.
POLICE REPORT
The police report, which was seen by The New Paper, alleged that the bank executive had slapped the boy's face, neck, shoulder and back. He also allegedly threatened to smash his face and kill him.
The alleged victim's father, who wanted to be known only as Mr Mohammed, said: "Nobody should take the law into his own hands. As adults, we shouldn't show such aggressive behaviour in front of children. We should talk it out."
The police confirmed the report.
A spokesman for the condo declined to comment, citing ongoing investigations.
Mr Mohammed said the bank executive had brought his son home, pulling him by his arm. He alleged that the man then repeated the threats he had made to his son.
"His wife came afterwards and told my son not to get close to their son and threatened him as well," he said.
"My younger son was very distressed as he had seen the man threaten and abuse his elder brother. His wife's actions scared him even more and he cried in the apartment while she screamed and threatened (us)."
TNP understands that the older boy is seeking psychiatric help.
When TNP rang the bank executive's wife to get her side of the story, she said that a third party "should not be involved in reporting such matters".
Before she hung up, she told TNP in what sounded like a thinly veiled threat: "I should be worried if I were you."
"Nobody should take the law into his own hands. As adults, we shouldn't show such aggressive behaviour in front of children. We should talk it out."
- Mr Mohammed
HOW AN EPO WORKS
From last November, when the Protection from Harassment Act was implemented, to May 31 this year, 23 Expedited Protected Orders (EPO) have been issued by the State Courts.
The EPO works on a temporary basis to prevent further alleged harassment until a case is settled.
Unlike a Personal Protection Order (PPO), which can be applied for only if the respondent is a related family member, a Protection Order (PO) can be applied for against non-family members.
A State Courts spokesman said: "Victims of harassment can apply for a Protection Order (PO) and, in cases where urgent intervention is required, an Expedited Protection Order, which lasts 28 days from the date of the order or until the date of the next Court hearing, whichever is earlier."
Explaining the importance of EPOs, lawyer Satwant Singh told The New Paper that it can be granted if there is imminent danger to someone.
"The immediate concern for the courts is if there are vulnerable persons like children, the elderly, or those who can't protect themselves..." he said.
The objective of POs and EPOs is to order harassers to stop doing offending acts or to remove offending statements.
TNP understands that the 11-year-old boy's family and his alleged harasser recently attended a mediation hearing. Anyone who breaches the conditions set in the EPO will be guilty of a criminal offence and can be jailed up to six months, fined up to $5,000, or both.
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