Since the beginning of the pandemic, masks have become a mainstay in our lives.
But we have also seen several cases of people refusing to wear a mask in public, claiming to be ‘sovereign‘.
Briton Benjamin Glynn has been accused of not wearing a mask on the MRT and outside the State Courts.
On Wednesday (18 Aug), he defended himself in court, saying there’s no contract where he complied to wearing a mask. He has been sentenced to 6 weeks’ jail.
After being deemed fit to plea by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), Benjamin Glynn appeared in State Courts on Wednesday (18 Aug).
He initially stood trial on 5 Aug but had to undergo psychiatric observation at IMH upon the prosecution’s request as well as for his behaviour in court, reported The Straits Times (ST).
As the trial began, the judge asked if Glynn was pleading guilty. Responding to that, Glynn reiterated that he did not understand why he was in court, deeming it a “commerce breach”.
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), he added that there had been no victim nor harm he had inflicted to any living man or woman.
Standing his ground, Glynn explained that there’s no contract in which he had complied to wearing a mask.
The last time Glynn appeared in court on 5 Aug, he had a group of supporters clapping and laughing disruptively in court.
In light of that, his court trial this time had increased security presence. The trial also commenced with a reminder not to interrupt.
But barely minutes in, one supporter reportedly became angry when a guard asked her to wear her mask properly.
When she received orders to leave the court for not wearing a mask, she remarked that it was a “ridiculous kangaroo court”.
Guards soon approached her, and she repeated Glynn’s words about not having a contract with them. The woman then said this was not about a mask but control, reported CNA.
Eventually, the woman was taken out of the court, and proceedings continued. Police later detained and questioned her.
The prosecutor subsequently showed clips of Glynn not wearing his mask around the Courts.
Glynn, who represented himself sarcastically, responded, “Sherlock Holmes will be proud”.
Asked not to preface questions with unnecessary comments, Glynn went on to question the mask-wearing law.
He asked the officer if he recognised that he was “a living man” as the charges are regulations that “do not apply to the living man”.
In response, the judge said it is obvious to everyone in the courtroom that he’s a living person.
According to ST, Glynn has been sentenced to 6 weeks’ jail. He was convicted of 2 charges under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, 1 charge of harassment, and another for being a public nuisance.
Glynn has repeatedly been caught not wearing a mask and showing no remorse for it in court.
We’re glad that the trial has finally come to an end, and punishment has been meted out.
Hopefully, this will also deter others from such selfish acts that could endanger public health.
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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News on Facebook and Google Maps.
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