A 37-year-old man in Singapore has been sentenced to 14 weeks in jail after assaulting a four-year-old boy who was a schoolmate of his son.
Muhammad Firdhaus Mokhtar pleaded guilty on Sept. 30 to one count each of assault and using criminal force. He was also ordered to pay S$170 in compensation for the child’s medical expenses.
Incident Began Outside Preschool
The incident happened around noon on March 6, when Firdhaus went to his son’s preschool.
According to Deputy Public Prosecutor Etsuko Lim, the four-year-old victim had made a lewd hand gesture toward Firdhaus. The man called the child over, but the boy moved toward his domestic helper, who was waiting outside near a bus stop.
Firdhaus followed the child and confronted the helper, telling her to inform the boy’s parents that the gesture was inappropriate.
The situation then escalated, with Firdhaus physically assaulting the child and threatening him. Several other preschool children reportedly witnessed what happened, while a police camera captured the incident.
Child Taken to Hospital
The boy was crying when he returned home, prompting his parents to take him to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital that same day.
The hospital subsequently alerted police, and Firdhaus was arrested.
The child stayed away from preschool for several days following the incident. His mother later told the court that he continued to experience nightmares, had become less confident and eventually transferred to another preschool.
She said her son also continued asking about Mondays because Firdhaus had threatened to return to the preschool on the following Monday.
Court Hears Impact on Child
The case highlighted the continuing emotional impact of the incident on the young victim.
Firdhaus apologised for his actions while standing in the dock.
The court ultimately sentenced him to 14 weeks’ imprisonment, alongside the S$170 compensation order covering the child’s medical bills.
The case also underscores the consequences of allowing a confrontation involving a young child to escalate into physical violence.
What began with a gesture outside a preschool ended with a criminal conviction, a prison sentence and a young child facing lasting consequences.
WWC ONE MEDIA G,A
