Australian Man Jailed and Fined for Spitting and Urinating Near Singapore Police Officers
An Australian man who spat at police officers and urinated in their direction was sentenced on October 30 to five months and six weeks in jail, alongside a S$5,000 fine. Morris David, 52, pleaded guilty to four of the eight charges he faced, which included using criminal force against a public servant and violations under the Protection from Harassment Act.
The sentence will take effect from July 16, the day David entered Singapore and a day prior to his remand. During the sentencing hearing, District Judge Sharmila Sripathy-Shanaz emphasized the defendant’s continuous belligerent and aggressive conduct spanning more than 32 hours.
Escalation from Changi Airport Dispute to Hospital Confrontation
David’s offenses began on July 16 after he arrived at Changi Airport Terminal 3 from Bali while transiting to Australia. Having suffered a head injury in Bali, he was taken by wheelchair to an airport clinic but left upon learning he would have to pay for treatment. Security staff were initially called after he grew belligerent with a manager at the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Gold Lounge.
After being sent to Changi General Hospital (CGH) for treatment, David returned to the airport departure hall with an invalid boarding pass and demanded entry into the lounge. An auxiliary police officer escorted him to a check-in counter to assist with his flight to Perth, where David shouted vulgarities. When other officers approached him as he attempted to hail a taxi, he became verbally abusive, threatening an officer who touched his shoulder by stating: “Touch me one more time, I swear to god, I will knock your glass off your head.”
Police arrested David and returned him to CGH, where officers were assigned to monitor him while he was sedated. Upon waking up in restraints, David’s behavior escalated further. Chart sheets and court documents detail that he threatened six officers during his hospital stay, spat on their faces and uniforms, threw food to the ground to break plates, and attempted to bite an officer trying to put a mask on him.
Court Arguments and Legal Penalties Under Singapore Law
The prosecution, led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Jun Kai, pressed for a sentence of eight months and one week in jail, arguing that David committed multiple offenses in a short time frame and showed “no respect” for local law enforcement. Conversely, defense lawyers Zachary Lim and Koh Boon Yang from IRB Law urged the court to impose a fine and a shorter jail term, stating that their client was extremely remorseful, apologetic, and prepared to face the legal consequences.
Under the Protection from Harassment Act 2014, making threatening, abusive, or insulting behavior towards a public servant carries a maximum penalty of 12 months in prison and a S$5,000 fine. Furthermore, offenders convicted of assaulting or using criminal force against a public servant executing official duties face up to four years in prison and a fine.
Judge Sripathy-Shanaz called the unsanitary act of urinating toward the officers “particularly reprehensible,” noting that it followed threats to defecate and throw feces at them. She stated that the sentence serves as a clear signal that such prolonged disrespect toward authority and public officers will not be tolerated.
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