Woman pleads guilty to 'vicious' assault on elderly neighbour -- which was caught on video

By Seow Bei Yi
The Straits Times
July 9, 2016

A woman who was filmed beating up her elderly neighbour in a video that went viral online three years ago yesterday pleaded guilty to charges, including voluntarily causing hurt.

In an 18-minute attack described as "vicious and uncalled for" by the prosecution, Casey Sabrina Ng, 43, stamped repeatedly on the head of Madam Toh Siew Hong, 67, and dragged her by the hair across the floor of the lift lobby in Chai Chee Road.

Ng also rained punches on Madam Toh's face and body in the incident that took place at around 10am on Sept 28, 2013.

She shouted vulgarities at a police officer and kicked another when they went to arrest her later.

Footage of the incident was recorded by a security camera installed by Madam Toh's daughter outside their flat.

As the video was played in court yesterday, Ng, also known as Asha, watched intently with a slight frown.

It showed her, in a tank top and shorts, coming out of her flat and confronting the victim.

Ng was seen shouting at the victim, then shoving her.

Madam Toh hit back, but when she tried to walk away, Ng grabbed her neck and punched her twice on the face.

She pulled the older woman's hair and forced her to her knees, hitting her face repeatedly.

Madam Toh held on to Ng's leg but was hit again and fell.

Ng then stamped on her head at least 10 times.

She left her victim lying down but returned shortly to stamp on her face, scold her and drag her by the hair across the floor.

Blood was streaming down the victim's face when Ng's 19-year-old son-in-law walked out of a lift with his son 16 minutes later.

Ng took the baby from his arms and, while carrying him, kicked the victim in the face before returning to her unit.

Madam Toh was hospitalised for over a week.

She had bruises around her eyes and her lower lip was stitched.

She also had a headache, pain in the neck and multiple episodes of vomiting.

Ng was also charged with kicking a police corporal on her thigh and verbally abusing a staff sergeant who turned up at her flat to arrest her.

Although she was due to plead guilty in January last year, Ng re- offended while on bail and absconded from court twice as well.

Among her fresh charges was causing hurt to an 18-week-pregnant woman while exiting a lift in January last year.

She had kicked the woman's abdomen. In September last year, she threatened her son-in-law's sister with a chopper.

Ng's bail was revoked this January. Deputy Public Prosecutor Sheryl George yesterday asked the court to call for a pre-sentencing report.

She said Ng "has clearly shown a tendency towards crime", showing no remorse for her behaviour.

The court heard yesterday that the accused had been charged with offences before 2013.

For instance, in 2000, she was jailed 31/2 years for criminal intimidation and assault by dangerous means.

In mitigation, Ng's lawyer, Mr Foo Juyuan, said she is "not incapable of being rehabilitated", citing her Institute of Mental Health report which noted an improvement in behaviour while in remand.

He added that she has an adjustment disorder, personality disorder and suffers from depression.

Ng is expected to appear in court on Aug 2.

Madam Toh moved out of her flat after she was discharged from hospital in 2013, she said yesterday.

But the elderly woman, whose nose remains crooked from the incident, moved back last year upon learning that Ng no longer lived at the block.

The Straits Times

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