A BIRTHDAY celebration last December ended up with a group of
seven youths assaulting another customer at a restaurant along
Bencoolen Street. The victim shouted out that he was a police
officer and even scrambled back to his table to get his warrant
card, which was in his bag. The attackers were not deterred. They
only fled - after someone else shouted: 'Police'.
On Thursday, Desmond Lee Soon Kiat and Chua Lian Heng, both 16,
and Godfrey Howe Ze Wei and Tan Ru Seng, both 20, pleaded guilty to
being part of an unlawful assembly that had injured Sergeant Muhd
Alfian Roslan. He sustained bruises and a chipped tooth.
District Judge Roy Neighbour ordered for pre-sentence reports to
gauge the offenders' suitability for probation or reformative
training. Sentencing is set for June 24, 2011. Three alleged
accomplices have not been dealt with yet.
The court heard that the group were celebrating Tan's 20th
birthday on the evening of Dec 14. In the early hours of the
following day, they were at the Al-Jilani restaurant for supper. Mr
Muhd Alfian, 24, was eating with his girlfriend in the smoking
section when one of the youths' girlfriends started vomiting
nearby.
Howe, who was with her, became angry when Mr Muhd Alfian
suggested taking her away. A row erupted between the two men. When
the off-duty cop stood up, he was attacked by Howe's group.
Lawyers for the four offenders told the court that the assault
was an unfortunate incident that marred a happy occasion. All four
are out on $10,000 bail each.
-- ST
