I’m sure we’ve seen people stumble, fall, or accidentally crash into another person while riding the MRT. Maybe you’ve even been one of them; I certainly have.
But being scolded and hit after involuntarily hurting another commuter is something I’m glad I haven’t experienced yet.
Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about this eight-year-old girl…
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Woman Slaps Girl For Stepping On Her Foot; Wanted an Apology
45-year-old Connie Soh pleaded guilty on Friday (28 May) to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt. She had admitted to slapping the face of an eight-year-old girl as she wanted her to apologise before leaving the train.
According to The Straits Times, the incident occurred on 15 July 2020. When the girl boarded the train with her mother at Chua Chu Kang station, she unintentionally stepped on Soh’s foot.
She then proceeded to apologise to Soh, who did not hear it as she was talking loudly on her phone.
The older woman confronted the girl’s mother, questioning why her daughter did not apologise for stepping on her foot. However, the mother asserted that her daughter had already apologised. An argument between the two parties then broke out.
If anything, Soh should apologise to all commuters for being noisy and irresponsible during a pandemic.
The mother and daughter proceeded to leave the train when it reached Yew Tee station, however, that’s when disaster struck.
As well as Soh’s hand.
Soh slapped the girl on her left cheek, attempting to prevent her from leaving the train. The girl began to cry and her mother called the police from the train station.
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She also took her daughter to the National University Hospital (NUH) later that day, where a doctor noted that the girl had sustained a bruise on her left cheek. The girl was given a two-day medical certificate, being excused from physical activity until 19 July.
Pleaded Guilty
While Soh has pleaded guilty, her sentencing has not been decided yet. Deputy Public Prosecutor Joseph Gwee argued that she should be given a fine of at least S$5,000 as her actions were “objectively disproportionate” and were “committed in a public place”.
In addition, another charge of using criminal force to poke the nose of the girl’s mother will be taken into account during sentencing.
For voluntarily causing hurt, an offender can be jailed for up to three years, fined up to $5,000, or both.
She faces enhanced penalties as the victim is under the age of 14. This means that she faces double the maximum penalty.
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Soh is scheduled for sentencing on 8 June 2021.
Featured Image: Adwo / Shutterstock.com
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