But why..??
A 52-year-old woman in Singapore admitted to damaging a lion dance costume by pouring coffee on it and kicking its head at West Coast Community Centre. Lim Sok Lay also engaged in a separate incident where she repeatedly pushed a man she suspected of scratching her baby grandson at a coffee shop in Punggol.
During her court appearance on Monday (Feb 3), Lim pleaded guilty to one charge each of mischief and criminal force, with two other charges to be considered during her sentencing on Feb 26.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Tin Shu Min shared that Lim and her husband, Cheang Eng Hock, were involved in disrupting a lion dance performance. Lim’s husband is set to plead guilty on Feb 21.
The couple had previously been in the news for harassing their neighbors by shouting “COVID spreader” and spraying disinfectant towards their flat. The ongoing dispute with their son, who was a performer in a lion dance troupe, contributed to their actions.
On July 29, 2023, Lim and Cheang confronted their son’s troupe at West Coast Community Centre, where Lim poured coffee over the lion dance costume and kicked its head, rendering it unusable in competitions.
During an earlier incident in February 2023, Lim pushed a man who she believed had scratched her baby grandson’s nose at a coffee shop. Investigations revealed that there was no evidence linking the man to the scratch.
Lim’s lawyer, Nichol Yeo, expressed that Lim was remorseful and willing to make voluntary restitution for half of the damage caused to the lion dance costume. He explained that her actions were driven by frustration and a moment of folly.
Despite the situation, Lim’s lawyer emphasized that she was worried about her grandson’s well-being, leading to her use of criminal force against the man.
The penalties for the charges include a jail term of up to two years, a fine, or both for mischief, and up to three months in jail, a fine of up to S$1,500, or both for using criminal force.
