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Jail and Fine over Huawei Phone

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Woman gets jail and fine over rowdy behaviour at Huawei store

 

The woman went under a table to frustrate police efforts to get her to leave. (Photo: Facebook/All Singapore Stuff)

 

By Lydia Lam @LydiaLamCNA

22 Oct 2020 06:32PM (Updated: 22 Oct 2020 07:53PM)

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SINGAPORE: Upset that she was unable to get a discounted Huawei phone for S$54 as advertised, a woman displayed rowdy behaviour and scolded the store manager before struggling with the police.

For her crimes, 54-year-old Ng Puay Chin was sentenced on Thursday (Oct 22) to two weeks' jail and a fine of S$1,000.

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She pleaded guilty to one count each of using criminal force on a police officer and using insulting words on the Huawei store manager. Another three charges were taken into consideration.

The court heard that Huawei had advertised a promotion for the Huawei Y6 Pro 2019, which usually sold for S$198, to mark Singapore's 54th National Day in July 2019. It was available to Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 50 and above.

READ: Anger, frustration as long queues form across Singapore for S$54 Huawei phone

Ng, who was unemployed at the time, turned up at the Huawei store at Jem shopping mall in Jurong, hoping to get a phone. There were hundreds of people queuing outside the store before it opened.

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Only those issued tickets could buy the phone, with the rest asked to disperse.

When the store opened at 11am, Ng rushed in along with the crowd and called the store manager a liar and a scammer, demanding to be issued a phone.

She rallied those around her to be hostile towards the manager, who felt distressed and asked her to leave.

The police were called in to manage the crowd and attend to the dispute, but Ng refused to leave even when the shutters were closed to all except those with tickets.

When warned that she could be arrested, Ng raised her voice and said she was above 50 and was a woman, and that everyone was watching.

She hid under a table and continued rallying the crowd, and was highly uncooperative, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Grace Teo.

She put up a violent struggle and was eventually restrained, but continued to holler at passers-by that Huawei was a scammer.

READ: Woman who failed to get S$54 Huawei phone arrested after causing commotion

Ms Teo pointed to the public disquiet caused, noting that Ng had "rallied members of the public to her side" and rallied "heightened emotions".

CONTRIBUTED TO CHAOS: PROSECUTOR

She contributed to the chaos of the moment, and appeared to be attributing blame to Huawei and to the police for taking Huawei's side, said Ms Teo.

"In the footage, she had asked police officers to get the phone for her. This is not the police's job," she said. "If everyone argued like her, the police would not be able to contain the situation."

 

Customers queue at Huawei's Vivo City outlet to get their hands on a Y6 Pro 2019 smartphone for S$54. (Photo: Ruth Smalley)

 

She added that this was not a case of the police giving unambiguous advice to Ng, but is a case "of outright disobedience".

Defence lawyer Tan Hee Joek said his client, as a layman, was not sure if it was the police's job to help Huawei and was thinking that the police could intercede.

In response, District Judge Toh Han Li said the point was that only those given tickets to redeem the phone were allowed to stay, and Ng did not get one.

"There was another video footage where she was going around asking for tickets, so she knew she wasn't meant to be there, but she insisted on having a phone and she couldn't get a ticket and was unhappy about it," said the judge.

SHE WAS CONTINUALLY DEFIANT: JUDGE

He said that he was unable to agree with the defence that the offences were committed in "fear and panic", noting that Ng's attitude was "continually defiant" towards the police.

"Her verbal exchanges with the police lasted some 15 minutes, culminating with her moving to the bottom of a table in an attempt to frustrate efforts of police asking her to leave, failing which she would be arrested," said Judge Toh.

 

A sign at Huawei store at Jurong Point says that all Y6 Pro 2019 handsets are sold out. (Photo: Darius Boey)

 

He added that Ng continued shouting "defiant words" while under the table, such as "all of you watch and help me" and "shame on you, record this down". 

"It took three police officers to arrest her after she struggled," said the judge, adding that it is of "vital importance that the police are adequately protected in the enforcement of duties".

He said a fine as sought by the defence was not justified as there was "clear defiance" of authority, but noted that Ng has pleaded guilty and expressed regret for her behaviour.

Ng requested to speak and did so emotionally, saying: "Now I look at the video, I'm very ashamed of myself. I don't intend to hurt the police officer."

The judge granted her a deferment of her jail term to Nov 5.

For using criminal force on a public servant, she could have been jailed for up to four years, fined or both. For using insulting words, she could have been jailed for up to six months, fined up to S$5,000 or both.

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RadX

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7 minutes ago, Count-Bracula said:

Sad,  why never use taser? 

One ZAP, send to IMH and case close. 

 

Which part of “50 year old” u dun understand you 50000 yr old 👻

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Jamesc

Jamesc

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$1000 fine?

Could have had 5 Hua Hua phones for that

and $10 for cha kway teoh and chicken rice and a kopi.

:a-happy:

Eat until full full and play with 5 phones.

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1fast1

1fast1

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2 hours ago, RadX said:

Which part of “50 year old” u dun understand you 50000 yr old 👻

Taser will send that old woman to your prison instead of state prison. 😁

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1fast1

1fast1

Supersonic

Anyway, the most jarring thing about this is seeing a huge crowd in that photo, not a mask in sight. I'd forgotten such things existed.

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inlinesix

inlinesix

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1 minute ago, Turboflat4 said:

Anyway, the most jarring thing about this is seeing a huge crowd in that photo, not a mask in sight. I'd forgotten such things existed.

2019 le

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RadX

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3 hours ago, Jamesc said:

$1000 fine?

Could have had 5 Hua Hua phones for that

and $10 for cha kway teoh and chicken rice and a kopi.

:a-happy:

Eat until full full and play with 5 phones.

 

2 hours ago, Turboflat4 said:

So long ago leh. Feels like leh. 

Dei... pre-covid la

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Kopites

Kopites

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10 hours ago, mersaylee said:

Not sad lah just an unfortunate event 

It’d really be a sad state if she managed to rally the crowd behind her for a bloody phone

Yes to me is a sad case. 

Fallen to a hua wei advertisement trap. If you remember Hua Wei subsequently came out to issue an public apology.

Bear in mind only those above 50 can get the phones on discount so literally  in the queue were our elders.

 

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Kopites

Kopites

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8 hours ago, Turboflat4 said:

Anyway, the most jarring thing about this is seeing a huge crowd in that photo, not a mask in sight. I'd forgotten such things existed.

Happened this year?

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