Marital disputes are common between couples. But when they turn violent, it can be terrifying.
Unfortunately for an innocent kitten, it became collateral damage when a man arguing with his wife over finances severely abused it.
He committed another crime a month later when he robbed a teenager on the bus with a knife, stealing his phone and $500.
He was sentenced to 3.5 years and 10 weeks’ jail, as well as 6 strokes of the cane, for his crimes.
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The court heard on Thursday (22 Oct) that 30-year-old Rico Wong Wei Wei got into a heated argument with his 27-year-old wife over financial issues on 4 May 2019 at about 3am.
In his anger, he got hold of a 2-month-old kitten he had brought home previously and threw it against the cupboard in the living room, reported Channel NewsAsia (CNA).
The kitten’s head started to bleed. He then picked it up, showed it to his wife and blamed her for his actions.
Wong then threw the feline against the floor until it bled and stopped moving.
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He then threatened his wife, saying he could do the same to her since he has no qualms about abusing a kitten.
After that, Wong threw the kitten into the bin.
Some time later, he took the bag with the kitten in it and tossed it down the rubbish chute from the 11th floor.
The animal was never recovered, and is presumed to have died.
The woman was so frightened that she stayed up the entire night.
She had previously applied for a personal protection order (PPO) against him after a fight at home in Jan 2018.
The PPO forbids him by law to use violence against her.
She eventually took her children and went to her mother’s house.
About a month later on 25 Jun 2019, he followed a teen onto the upper deck of a bus leaving from Sembawang MRT station.
He then sat beside the 17-year-old and threatened him with a karambit knife, such that it would not be visible to other passengers.
He made the teen hand over his mobile phone – worth $1,000 – and $500 in cash.
The teen made a police report.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Daniel Ling initially asked for 4 years and 10 weeks’ jail, as well as and 6 strokes of the cane, for Wong’s crimes, adding that the offender had previous convictions for theft and robbery.
When he was younger, Wong was sent to reformative training twice, and also spent 2 years in a juvenile home, reported TODAY Online.
In 2016, he served a jail term of 1 year and 2 months for snatch theft offences.
DPP noted that the kitten was a defenceless and harmless kitten which Wong took his anger out on, adding,
The ill-treatment of the kitten was unjustifiable, egregious and uncalled for.
He also said that Wong had no respect for the PPO against his wife by killing an animal to threaten her.
In his defence, lawyer Jonathan Wong said Wong was extremely regretful of his actions.
He was going through a difficult period of time then, and is committed to change his life for the sake of his 2 young children, the lawyer said.
Wong was ultimately sentenced to 3.5 years and 10 weeks’ jail, and 6 strokes of the cane, for 3 charges of robbery with a deadly weapon, violating a personal protection order against his wife, and one count of animal cruelty.
He was also banned from owning a pet for a year after his release.
No matter how angry we get, violence and abuse is never the answer.
We hope Wong will seek anger management help for the sake of his family, and his wife will be able to heal from the trauma in time.
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Featured image adapted from Facebook and Ramiz Dedaković @ Unsplash
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