Man fined S$3,000 for verbally abusing policeman who told him to clear his beer

SINGAPORE — A 32-year-old man was fined S$3,000 on Wednesday (Jan 26) for verbally abusing a police officer, who had wanted him to dispose of his beer due to the 10.30pm rule on alcohol consumption.

Sanjiv Kumar Sivaraj had used a vulgarity on the policeman, saying: “Technically, we are paying for your salary, *******.”

The Singaporean pleaded guilty to one count of using abusive words towards a public servant.

He was drinking with four others at the coffee shop located at Block 259 Bukit Panjang Ring Road on Dec 23, 2020, the court heard.

A woman identified only as Madam May called the police for help at about 10.40pm. She said that she needed to remove beer cups from a group of customers at the coffee shop, but they had refused to let her do so and wanted to continue sitting at their table.

Senior Staff Sergeant Low Yong Chin and his two partners then went to the scene and found the five men sitting at a table, each with a glass half-filled with beer in front of them.

When Senior Staff Sergeant Low told them that they were not allowed to consume alcohol past 10.30pm and advised them to get rid of their beer, Sanjiv’s friends poured their beer into the pail and got up to leave.

Under the current Covid-19 “stabilisation phase”, alcohol at any food-and-beverage premises must be sold and consumed by 10.30pm.

This is on top of existing laws limiting the sale of liquor at retail outlets and consumption of liquor in public places between 10.30pm and 7am.

However, Sanjiv continued to sit at the table and smoke his cigarette. When Senior Staff Sergeant Low advised him again to dispose of his beer, he refused and told the policeman that he could dispose of it if he wanted to do so.

Senior Staff Sergeant Low said that he could not as Sanjiv had bought the beer. Sanjiv then stood and told him: “Technically, we are paying for your salary, *******.”

He was later placed under arrest.

State Prosecuting Officer Teo Keng Beng sought the fine imposed, saying that Sanjiv was “brazenly defiant” and had refused to listen to the policeman.

In mitigation, Sanjiv said that he regretted what he had done and would refrain from committing such acts in the future again. “I’d rather be more mature,” he added.

Under the Protection from Harassment Act, those who use abusive words towards a public servant can be jailed for up to 12 months or fined up to S$5,000, or punished with both.