SINGAPORE – A teenage drug abuser put up a struggle during his arrest, causing grievous hurt leaving a policeman with a spinal cord injury and superficial bite wounds.

The victim – a full-time national serviceman (NSF) – felt numbness on the left side of his body.

He had “significantly reduced power over his left upper and lower limbs with absence of reflexes,” said Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Hsiao Tien.

The NSF was given 30 days of hospitalisation leave and he has since fully recovered.

The 17-year-old attacker pleaded guilty in a district court on Thursday (Nov 19) to one count each of causing grievous hurt to a public servant and methamphetamine consumption.

He cannot be named as teenagers under 18 are covered under the Children and Young Persons Act.

The DPP said that the NSF and his colleague were conducting foot patrol at Block 90 Redhill Close at around 2pm on Aug 5 when they entered a lift on the seventh storey.

The teenager and his cousin were also inside the lift. The court heard that they appeared nervous and had bloodshot eyes.

The cousin was holding a small brown box and a check revealed that it contained drug-taking utensils. The policemen then arrested the pair.

As the victim’s colleague was searching the cousin on the ground floor, the accused tried to run away.

DPP Tan said: “The victim, who was standing beside the accused, managed to grab the accused from the back and pinned him down on the floor. A struggle ensued… The victim instructed the accused to stop struggling, but he did not comply and again attempted to run away.

“The victim managed to pull the accused back down. During the struggle, the accused managed to slip one of his hands out from the handcuff. The accused also bit the victim on his left arm and left chest in an attempt to escape custody.”

Police back-up arrived at the scene soon after and the attacker was arrested. He was referred to the Central Narcotics Bureau and his urine samples were found to contain traces of methamphetamine. Investigations revealed that he had consumed the drug on Aug 4.

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On Thursday, the court called for reports to assess his suitability for reformative training and probation.

Offenders given reformative training will be detained in a centre and made to follow a strict regimen that includes foot drills as well as counselling.

He will be sentenced on Nov 26.

For causing grievous hurt to a public servant, an offender can be jailed for up to 15 years and fined or caned.

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