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SINGAPORE: A commuter who pushed a security officer over a bag screening at a train station was on Monday (Oct 27) given a mandatory treatment order (MTO) for two years.
The victim, a senior security officer at Certis Cisco now aged 66, fell over as a result and bled from the back of her head during the August 2024 incident.
An MTO directs an offender suffering from certain treatable psychiatric conditions to undergo treatment.
Alina Meridian, a 31-year-old Singaporean, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder before the incident, and a report noted that his condition was "slightly triggered" at the time. His condition is amenable to treatment, the court heard.
Notably, Meridian has an inability to adjust his behaviour appropriately to social contexts, and this could have led to an escalation in his anger and irritability and contributed to the offence, the judge said.
Meridian had initially claimed trial and repeatedly questioned the victim during cross-examination on why she had not used any de-escalation tactics.
He later pleaded guilty after Mr Sunil Sudheesan and Ms Joyce Khoo from Quahe Woo & Palmer took on the case under the Enhanced Guidance for Plea Scheme (EGPS).
Meridian admitted to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt, with a second charge of using threatening behaviour by shouting and gesturing aggressively at the train station taken into consideration.
Meridian had gone to Lorong Chuan MRT station just before 8am on Aug 17, 2024, while on his way to take a course for his job.
As he walked to the gantry, he was stopped by Madam Cindy Tay Jui Hwa, a Certis Cisco security officer who was conducting security checks.
When Mdm Tay stopped Meridian to request a bag check, Meridian "became upset and threw his bag on the ground", said the prosecutor.
Meridian said she could pick up his bag if she wanted to conduct the security check.
Meridian exchanged words with Mdm Tay but refused to pick up his bag. Meridian also asked the security officers to hurry as he was in a rush.
Annoyed, Meridian pushed Mdm Tay, causing her to fall to the ground and knock the back of her head.
Meridian then took his bag and went past the gantry towards the train platform, despite the station manager's attempts to stop him.
The victim was taken to hospital with a 1cm laceration on her head and was given five days' leave.
In sentencing, District Judge Lorraine Ho said she sincerely hoped that Meridian would develop himself in a positive manner, take care of his grandmother and play his part in society, as promised in his letter to the court.
She added that she hoped Meridian could be "a role model" for the community with hidden disabilities.
For voluntarily causing hurt, he could have been jailed for up to three years, fined up to S$5,000 (US$3,850), or both.
