Man headbutted police officer, used racial slur against another and stole from wife

Jean Iau
The Straits Times
September 6, 2021

After a night of drinking, Mohammed Faisal Seeni Syed, headbutted a police officer and used a racial slur against another after they responded to a call due to a commotion he was causing.

In separate incidents, the 33-year-old Singaporean also intimidated his father with a knife while drunk, and stole a gold necklace and money from his then estranged wife.

For his list of crimes, Mohammed Faisal, who appeared before a district court via video link, was sentenced to 17 months' jail on Monday (Sept 6).

Deputy Public Prosecutor Bjorn Tan told the court that the officers had been called about the commotion at Orchard Towers at around 6am on Dec 31, 2018.

When they arrived, a shirtless Mohammed Faisal was shouting and behaving aggressively towards his friends, who were trying to calm him down.

The police officers also tried to calm him, but he called one of them a "Melayu babi (Malay pig)".

He then ran across a four-lane road, with his friends and the officers in pursuit.

The officers called for back-up and tried to place Mohammed Faisal under arrest at around 6.15am, but he headbutted one officer on his chin.

Mohammed Faisal was eventually arrested and taken to Tanglin Division police station. He was later found to be intoxicated at the time of the offences.

Both the incidents were captured on the officers' body-worn cameras.

According to a medical report, the officer who was headbutted had mild tenderness on his face but had no external injury. He was given two days of medical leave.

In a separate incident in the wee hours of Feb 27 this year, following another night of drinking, Mohammed Faisal held a knife with an 11cm-long blade as he approached his 61-year-old father who was asleep.

He was angry after hearing rumours that his father was having an affair. He scolded his father using vulgarities in Tamil.

In May, he stole a gold chain, valued at $2,900, and $300 in cash from his estranged wife who was using a separate room.

In mitigation, Mohammed Faisal, who did not have a lawyer, said: "I am remorseful for what I have done. I'm asking for leniency."

His sentence was backdated to July 6, when he was first placed in remand.