36-year-old man arrested for allegedly slapping and hurling vulgarities at 9-year-old stranger

A 36-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly slapped and hurled vulgarities at a nine-year-old boy on Saturday (Sept 2).

The police said they were alerted to a case of assault in the vicinity of Kovan MRT station at 8.45am, where the boy had allegedly been slapped by the man.

"The boy, who was commuting to classes with his seven-year-old brother, further said that the man also hurled vulgarities," police added.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim did not know the assailant.

Through ground enquiries and with the aid of images from CCTVs, officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division established the man's identity and arrested him on the same day.

The man will be charged in court on Monday with the offences of public nuisance and voluntarily causing hurt against a person below 14 years of age.

Anyone found guilty of voluntarily causing hurt against a person below 14 years old can be sentenced to three years in jail, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. Anyone found guilty of causing a public nuisance may be fined up to $2,000.

The police said they will "spare no effort to track down those who commit such brazen acts and will take firm action against them in accordance with the law."