A 37-year-old man in Singapore has been sentenced to 14 weeks in jail after assaulting a four-year-old boy who had shown him the middle finger.
According to CNA, Muhammad Firdhaus Mokhtar pleaded guilty to one count each of voluntarily causing hurt and using criminal force on a minor, with another charge taken into consideration.
He was also ordered to pay S$170, or around RM520, in compensation to the boy’s mother.
Followed boy to nearby bus stop
CNA reports that the incident happened at around noon on March 6 when Firdhaus went to pick up his son from preschool.
His son was playing with the victim, who was his schoolmate, when the four-year-old pointed his middle finger at Firdhaus.
Angered by the gesture, Firdhaus called the boy over, but the child instead moved towards his domestic helper who was waiting at a nearby bus stop. Firdhaus then followed him and grabbed the boy by the arm.
According to Zao Bao, when the child tried to get away and hide behind a pillar, Firdhaus pulled him out by his collar before slapping him on the right cheek with the back of his hand.
He then struck the boy’s left cheek and ear hard enough to knock him to the ground.
Threatened to break his finger
When the boy’s domestic helper tried to intervene, Firdhaus continued holding onto the child.
He then allegedly pointed a finger at him, threatened to break his finger and told him that he would return for him on Monday.
The incident happened in front of several other preschool children and members of the public, and was also captured on police camera footage.
Boy suffered nightmares for months
The boy was later taken to hospital, where doctors found bruising on both cheeks. He also experienced ringing in his left ear and was given pain medication.
However, the emotional impact reportedly lasted much longer.
His mother told the court that the boy became afraid of returning to school and repeatedly asked whether the next day was Monday, fearing that Firdhaus would return and slap him again.
He also suffered nightmares and flashbacks, while his confidence reportedly dropped following the incident.
His parents eventually transferred him to another preschool.
Apologised in court
Firdhaus apologised to the victim’s family during sentencing, and his lawyer acknowledged that there was no acceptable justification for what happened.
He added Firdhaus accepted responsibility for hurting the boy both physically and emotionally.
The prosecution had sought between four and six months’ jail, citing the child’s young age, the sustained nature of the assault and the lasting psychological impact.
The court ultimately sentenced Firdhaus to 14 weeks behind bars and ordered him to compensate the boy’s mother for his medical expenses.
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