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'Vicious, unprovoked': Construction worker gets 20 weeks' jail for attacking another migrant worker at Jurong dorm

SINGAPORE — Annoyed that a fellow dormitory resident knocked a bottle cap against a table, a migrant worker decided to attack him with his bare hands, then intensified the assault by using a broomstick and a plastic chair as weapons.

File image of the State Courts.
File image of the State Courts.
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  • Annoyed at a fellow dormitory resident over something trivial, a migrant worker decided to attack him with his bare hands
  • He went on to use a broomstick and a plastic chair as weapons
  • Yan Jijiang committed at least two other crimes after this incident, including stealing S$6,000 from another dormitory resident to gamble awaf the money 
  • He was sentenced to 20 weeks' jail, with the judge calling the attack in the first incident "vicious and unprovoked" 

SINGAPORE — Annoyed that a fellow dormitory resident knocked a bottle cap against a table, a migrant worker decided to attack him with his bare hands, then intensified the assault by using a broomstick and a plastic chair as weapons.

When his victim punched him back, Chinese national Yan Jijiang, 36, picked up a knife and a metal ladle and approached the other man menacingly. His victim escaped the bloody altercation with some "bodily pains", though he did not seek medical treatment.  

On Thursday (Dec 22), Yan was sentenced to 20 weeks’ jail after pleading guilty to one charge each of voluntarily causing hurt, criminal trespass and theft in dwelling.

Two other charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

The other trespass and theft charges relate to separate offences that occurred a few months after the fight in May 2022, while Yan was still on a personal bond for the earlier incident. Court documents state that the bail amount was S$15,000.

District Judge Ow Yong Tuck Leong described Yan’s attack on the dormitory resident as “vicious and unprovoked”.

The commission of the subsequent offences while he was released on a personal bond was also a "blatant disregard" of the law, said the judge.

WHAT HAPPENED

The court heard that the accused at that time was working as a construction worker at the Sembcorp Marine Integrated Yard and staying in Westlite Dormitory at Jalan Tukang, which is in Jurong.

At about 10pm on May 20, Yan was seated outside the dormitory kitchen drinking alcohol when the victim came to sit at the same table. 

The victim then poured some water onto a bottle cap to consume some calcium pills. After he was done, he knocked the cap on the table a few times to dislodge the remaining water droplets. 

But Yan became unhappy over the victim's action and accused him of seeking to cause trouble. 

Though the victim apologised, Yan began punching him on the head and chest with his fists multiple times. He then used a broom stick and a plastic chair to strike the victim’s back.

When the victim retaliated by punching him, Yan took a knife and metal ladle, causing him to flee, the court heard.

Later, a few dormitory residents restrained Yan while a security officer called the police, who later arrived at the dormitory and arrested him.

After he was released on personal bond, Yan was caught on closed-circuit television on August 26 trespassing a dormitory room to look for cigarettes.

Two months later, on October 22, Yan also committed theft by stealing around S$6,000 from another dormitory resident.

Court documents stated that he had found out that his second victim had won some money at the Resort World Sentosa casino. 

So, he stole S$6,000 from under the victim's bed, and later lost all the money at the casino.

As he felt guilty, Yan sent a WhatsApp text message on the same day at about 7pm to the victim to confess to his action.

They met up in person to discuss the matter, but the victim called the police after Yan told him he was unable to return the money. Yan was still on a personal bond at the time.

During his mitigation plea on Thursday, Yan told the court in Mandarin via a video link: “I’m very sorry to the Singapore Government and the victims. I plead for your leniency.”

For voluntarily causing hurt, Yan could have been jailed up to three years, fined no more than S$5,000 or both.

The offence of criminal trespass attracts a jail term of up to three months, or a fine of up to S$1,500, or both.

A person convicted of theft in dwelling can be imprisoned up to seven years and may be liable to a fine.

Related topics

Westlite Tukang construction worker assault crime court

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