Woman damages lion dance costume by pouring coffee on it & kicking its head, pleads guilty
A 52-year-old woman, Lim Sok Lay, has pleaded guilty to damaging a lion dance costume by pouring coffee on it and repeatedly pushing a man in two separate incidents.
The first took place at West Coast Community Centre, where she poured coffee on the costume and kicked its head, causing S$1,330 worth of damage.
In a separate incident, she physically confronted a man at a Punggol coffeeshop, accusing him of scratching her young grandson.
Lim faced one charge of mischief and another of criminal force, to which she pleaded guilty on 3 Feb.
According to Channel News Asia, two additional charges will be considered when she is sentenced on 26 Feb.
Her husband, 60-year-old Cheang Eng Hock, allegedly took part in the coffee-pouring incident and is set to plead guilty on 21 Feb.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
Believes son’s involvement in lion dance is “bad influence”
The court heard that Lim and her husband were arguing with their son about his participation in a lion dance troupe.
According to Deputy Public Prosecutor Tin Shu Min, Lim disapproved of the troupe, believing it to be a “bad influence” on him.
On 29 Jul 2023, the couple went to West Coast Community Centre, where their son’s troupe was preparing for a performance. At around 3:45 pm, Lim poured coffee over the lion dance costumes, leaving irremovable stains, before kicking the head of one costume.
The act disrupted the performance for about 10 minutes before she was escorted out.
The damage rendered the costume unusable, amounting to a loss of S$1,330.
Source: depositphotos, for illustration purposes
Woman & husband are known troublemakers
Lim and her husband are no strangers to legal trouble. In 2022, they were fined for harassing their neighbours, one of whom was a nurse, by shouting “COVID spreaders” and spraying disinfectant at them.
Lim’s charge of criminal force stems from an incident at a Punggol coffeeshop on 2 Feb 2023.
She had allowed a man to carry her crying grandson while queuing for food. Later that night, she noticed a scratch on the boy’s nose and accused the man of causing it.
At the coffeeshop at Waterway Ridges, an HDB estate in Punggol, she repeatedly pushed the man in anger. However, investigations found no evidence linking him to the scratch.
Although Lim’s lawyer, Nichol Yeo, told the court that she was remorseful, she faces serious consequences.
For mischief, she could be jailed for up to two years, fined, or both. For criminal force, she faces up to three months in jail, a fine of up to S$1,500, or both.
Also read: S’pore couple charged with mischief for disrupting lion dance contest & pouring coffee on costume
S’pore couple charged with mischief for disrupting lion dance contest & pouring coffee on costume
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Featured image adapted from Lianhe Zaobao and Lianhe Zaobao.
