Oftentimes, I feel that our men in blue aren’t given enough recognition.
Apart from safeguarding our streets so that Singaporeans can walk around without an inch of fear, they have also committed numerous heroic deeds at their own expense…
Including mortal injuries that would’ve crippled the most faint-hearted.
Man Stabbed Officer After Locking Himself in a Room with a Gas Canister and Lighter
On the morning of 8 February 2021, Liaw Chong Guan, 65, locked himself in his rental room at 124 Lor 1 Toa Payoh and professed that he was going to hurt himself.
After receiving a call for assistance, the police arrived some five minutes later, only to see Liaw armed with a gas canister and lighter.
Under the impression that the police officers were under the Anti-Narcotics Bureau, Liaw proceeded to put up a fight.
He was reportedly holding a 20-cm long knife.
A police officer tried to grasp Liaw’s right shoulder, but the latter retaliated with a swing of his knife.
The weapon went into an officer’s thigh.
Liaw was subsequently subdued and taken into custody.
Police Officer was Injured
As a result, the affiliated police officer incurred a 2cm wound, and was discharged with 14 days of hospitalisation leave.
Meanwhile, Liaw was placed at the Institute of Mental Health, where he was determined to be suffering from an opioid disorder.
Despite the discovery, he was said to have been of sound mind during the offence.
His urine sample also showed signs of morphine. He had reportedly consumed drugs on the same day of the offence.
Sentencing
On 2 September 2021, Liaw pleaded guilty to one count of drug abuse and one count of assaulting the officer.
He was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment, with an additional enhanced sentence of 624 days.
Liaw was previously given five years’ jail and three strokes of the cane for drug abuse, but he had been released for remission after going through with two-thirds of the sentence.
For offending while out on remission, however, he would have to serve the full sentence he had incurred before, as well as the enhanced sentence.
For stabbing an officer, Liaw could have faced an imprisonment term of up to seven years and a fine.
For repeatedly taking drugs, he could have faced a jail term of up to 13 years for every charge.
Other Instances
Unfortunately, assaults on police officers aren’t exactly non-existent.
Back in May 2020, a lady assaulted a police officer when she was asked for her particulars.
The lady was charged in court on Saturday, 9 May 2020.
Her charges included:
- Voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from carrying out his or her duty
- Using insulting or abusive language with an intention to cause harassment to another
- Not wearing her mask properly under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020
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Featured Image: Google Maps