Man sentenced to jail after setting fire at grandmother’s door over refused entry
A 27-year-old man in Singapore has been sentenced to seven months in jail after he deliberately started a fire outside his grandmother’s flat in a fit of rage because she wouldn’t let him in.
According to Channel News Asia (CNA), the man, Lenard Tan Yong Jia, lived in the same unit as his grandmother and stepfather.
Driven by anger after his grandmother ignored his phone calls
The incident unfolded on 17 April this year. Upon returning home, Tan found himself locked out and was unable to open the metal gate to the house.
He made six phone calls to his 67-year-old grandmother, asking her to open the metal gate.
However, she did not respond, apparently because she was scared of her grandson.
She believed her grandson was a drug addict and wanted no confrontation, as both of them reportedly had been in an argument previously.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
Instead of walking away, Tan decided to take revenge. He lit a piece of cardboard using a lighter and wedged it between the metal gate and wooden door, where another cardboard box had already been placed.
He then filmed the fire and sent the video to his uncle with a voice message in Mandarin, saying:
You want to play with me? I’ll set a fire and let you see.
Fire resulted in S$7,000 in damage
Thankfully, vigilant neighbours raised the alarm, and the grandmother managed to extinguish the flames with water before they could spread further.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
His aunt later made a police report.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the fire caused about S$7,000 in damage to the entrance, including scorched tiles, burnt skirting, a damaged door and blistered paint.
It’s unclear whether Tan’s stepfather will proceed with claiming repairs.
Sentenced to seven months in jail
Tan was arrested the next day (18 April) while still carrying the lighter used in the fire and two penknives.
He was formally charged on 4 July with one count of mischief by fire. A second charge was taken into consideration during sentencing.
The prosecution, led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Jotham Tay, pushed for five to six months’ jail, arguing that Tan’s actions could have endangered his grandmother’s life and health.
The court ultimately handed him a seven-month sentence.
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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News.
