There are plenty of ways to deal with one’s frustration, and setting someone else’s property on fire is not one of them.
After getting told by Lavender Street’s Hotel 81 Violet staff that 3 people were not allowed in a room, the man took his frustrations out on the hotel’s towels.
34-year-old Lau Sheng Shiun set 4 towels belonging to the hotel on fire in Sep 2017.
He was sentenced to 3 months’ jail on Wednesday (21 Apr).
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), Lau had gone drinking with his navy subordinate, Chua Wen Hao on 12 Sep 2017.
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After meeting a Vietnamese girl at the karaoke lounge that night, the trio proceeded to Hotel 81 Violet.
Chua and the girl were the first to check into the room. Subsequently, at around 9.30 pm, the court heard that Lau entered the room.
He was caught by the hotel’s front desk staff on CCTV. This breached the hotel’s policy of allowing no more than 2 people in a single room.
According to CNA, the front desk tried calling the room first but to no avail.
Source
Hence, a staff went up to the room to notify them instead.
Mr Lau tried to book a room for 3 people instead but was rejected by the hotel.
The man ended up leaving the premises by a backdoor, where the hotel kept their crates of towels.
While taking a smoke, The Straits Time (ST) reports that he set fire to 4 towels belonging to the hotel with his cigarette before eventually leaving.
A passer-by who spotted the towels ablaze at 9.50pm swiftly alerted the hotel staff.
The fire was thankfully put out, and the police were alerted of the incident.
He was caught on 21 Sep 2017 after the police identified him using security camera footage and groundwork.
The damage incurred by the hotel was reported to be $60.
According to CNA, the accused told the court that he was too drunk to remember the event that transpired. Hence, making him incapable of forming the intentions to commit the offence.
However, District Judge Ong Luan Tze said that there were elements of vengeance to his actions as Lau admitted that he had set the towels on fire to express his frustrations.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Zhou Yihong asked for at least 3 to 4 months’ jail on the note that the fire could have spread further and caused severe damages, reports ST.
He was sentenced to 3 months’ jail on Wednesday (21 Apr). His lawyer will be appealing the conviction and sentencing.
The 34-year-old could have been sentenced to up to 7 years’ jail and fined for causing mischief by fire.
Just like what the prosecutor stated, the fire could have spread further, causing serious damages.
Thankfully, no one got hurt from the reckless actions of the man.
We should always abide by the law, and also follow policies set by private or public establishments.
Above all else, try not to set things on fire out of frustration.
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Featured image adapted from Starts at 60 and Google Maps.
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