Daily Lessons from Life 27 December 2011 - Man jailed for causing hurt to three police officers

"Man jailed for causing hurt to three police officers - CNA 27 December 2011

SINGAPORE: It started off as a skirmish between two friends but ended up with one of them sentenced to jail for causing hurt to three police officers.

Factory production operator Idris Husin received nine months' jail for hurting a staff sergeant, an assistant superintendant and a police sergeant as he was being arrested.

The court heard that Idris, 55, had fought with a friend at a coffeeshop in Woodlands Avenue 6 on August 4, in the presence of police officers.

They were both arrested but the trouble did not end there. As Idris was being escorted to the police vehicle by Assistant Superintendant Phang Chiew Shia, he elbowed her in the stomach and spat at her.

As he was being led into the police car, he kept hitting Staff Sergeant Stanley Png on the chest with his head and tried to bite his chest. Idris continued to be violent even though he was handcuffed. He kicked Police Sergeant Tan Boon Leng in the right leg, spat and swore at him.

Pleading for leniency on Tuesday, Idris said that he was drunk and was not aware of his actions.

However, District Judge Low Wee Ping, who told Idris he should not drink if he cannot control himself, said he deserved a deterrent and long sentence."

A simple cut and dry case. IF you cannot control yourself after you drink, DON'T!!

Lessons for me:

1. I always maintain that there is NO stupid people but people doing STUPID THINGS. Those who are mentally handicapped at birth are NOT stupid people. This gentleman in this news report definitely is a person doing STUPID things!;

2. I normally do not agree with judges who are too liberal or too strict. For this one, I simply could not help but to applaud his or her judgement. Indeed, if he cannot control himself, DON'T drink! Simple as that. No 'IF' and no 'BUT' about it. A grown man MUST take responsibilities for his action;

3. I also wonder what IF the police officers behaved, as would many we have watched on TV or in the movies, aggressively against this man who did stupid thing? will this man be given a lenient judgement? Or would he even sue the police officers for police brutality? A sue often repeated in the USA - at least in TV and movies? Great that the Singapore police officers behaved in a restrained manner and allowed the laws to take care of this man who did stupid thing! Well done!!

May those who think they can blame others for their stupid behaviors think again - assuming they can think!!