A 65-year-old woman has been jailed for two days after she kicked a consultation-room door and threatened a doctor at the Institute of Mental Health.
Wong Nyok Chin was sentenced on Friday, 2 October, after pleading guilty to an offence under the Protection from Harassment Act, according to 8world’s court report published on Saturday, 3 October.
The case arose from an incident on 28 April this year, when Wong and her husband visited their daughter at IMH.
Doctor Did Not Approve Discharge at the Time
According to court proceedings reported by 8world, Wong’s daughter had been warded at IMH for more than two months by then.
During the visit, the daughter said she wanted to leave hospital and resume normal activities, including attending a concert.
Wong’s husband then spoke to a doctor about whether their daughter could be discharged.
The doctor did not approve the discharge at that point. The court heard that the doctor assessed that the daughter’s condition was still unstable.
After Wong’s husband relayed this to their daughter, the daughter became distressed and harmed herself. The court report did not name the daughter or state her age.
Mother Kicked Door and Threatened Doctor
Wong then went to look for the doctor.
When she could not meet him immediately, she repeatedly kicked the door of a consultation room, according to 8world’s report of the court proceedings.
After the doctor opened the door, Wong demanded that he let her daughter leave the hospital.
Hospital staff eventually activated an emergency response team, which escorted Wong away.
Before leaving, Wong shouted threats at the doctor, including that she would kill him and sue him. She also blamed him for what might happen to her daughter in the ward.
Despite the confrontation, the doctor continued attending to Wong’s daughter and helped stabilise her.
Pleaded Guilty and Jailed
Wong pleaded guilty to one charge over her conduct towards the IMH doctor.
The offence involved threatening or abusive conduct under the Protection from Harassment Act.
She was sentenced to two days’ jail.
