SINGAPORE — Stressed and angry over a long-term patient’s behaviour, a former health attendant at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) slapped the back of the man’s head twice and scolded him. 

For his actions, Sadasivam Kannan was sentenced to three weeks’ jail on Monday (Aug 23).

The 61-year-old Singaporean pleaded guilty to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt to a vulnerable person.

He was fired in March last year over the incident after working there since 2003.

His victim, now aged 59, suffers from chronic schizophrenia and has been at IMH since at least 2005. He was incapable of protecting himself from abuse due to his mental infirmity, the court heard.

On Dec 8 in 2019, Sadasivam and two other staff nurses — Muhammad Ihsan Mahmud, a 32-year-old Malaysian, and Iylia Muhammad Afiq Nor Effendi, 25 — reported for their morning shift.

At around 10.30am, the victim was moved to the day lounge after getting a haircut. He then began toying with another patient’s urinal and splashed some urine on an assistant nurse, who told Ihsan what had happened.

Ihsan approached the victim, who was secured to a wheelchair with a restraint, and splashed hand sanitiser on his face three times.

The victim then began creating a disturbance, leading to Sadasivam, Ihsan and Iylia tightening his restraint.

When the victim grew agitated, Ihsan punched him around his eyes.

He remained aggressive and started kicking out at the nurses, but he was eventually subdued and the trio held him down. However, he grew agitated again and kicked another patient.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Phoebe Tan told the court: “The accused then tried to fix the victim’s restraints on his left arm. He grew stressed and angered by the victim’s conduct, and slapped the left side of the back of the victim’s head.”

Sadasivam then scolded the victim and gesticulated at him. He cowered in response and calmed down again, while Sadasivam continued fixing his restraints.

He subsequently started rocking his head back and forth, going close to Sadasivam’s head at one point. Sadasivam then slapped his head again.

This was all captured on closed-circuit television footage, which was played in court.

Iylia later discovered the victim had suffered bruising around his right eye and applied an ice pack. Ihsan reported the injuries to IMH management, prompting a human resources manager to lodge a police report five days after the assault.

The victim was taken to Singapore General Hospital on the day of the incident. One of his toes had been fractured as well.

Ihsan pleaded guilty and was jailed nine weeks in January this year. Iylia has also been charged and his case is pending.

While voluntarily causing hurt can result in up to two years’ jail, a maximum fine of S$5,000, or both, Sadasivam was liable for up to one-and-a-half times that punishment as the victim is a vulnerable adult under the law.