Man Jailed After Slapping Four-Year-Old Who Gave Him the Finger

A 37-year-old man in Singapore has been sentenced to 14 weeks in jail after assaulting a four-year-old boy who had shown him the middle finger.

According to CNA, Muhammad Firdhaus Mokhtar pleaded guilty to voluntarily causing hurt and using criminal force on a minor, with another charge taken into consideration. He was also ordered to pay S$170 (about RM520) in compensation to the boy’s mother.

Singapore Man Threatened to Break Boy’s Finger After Slapping Him

The incident occurred on March 6 when Firdhaus went to pick up his son from preschool. After the four-year-old, who was his son’s schoolmate, pointed his middle finger at him, Firdhaus followed the boy to a nearby bus stop.

He grabbed the child by the arm and later pulled him from behind a pillar by his collar before slapping him repeatedly. One blow struck the boy’s ear and knocked him to the ground.

Firdhaus also threatened to break the child’s finger and said he would return for him the following Monday.

The boy suffered bruising, ringing in his ear and emotional distress, including nightmares and fear of returning to school. His parents eventually transferred him to another preschool.

The prosecution had sought four to six months’ jail, citing the boy’s age and lasting psychological impact.

Firdhaus apologised in court and accepted responsibility for the assault.