SINGAPORE: A woman went on trial on Monday (Jun 19) over an incident where she allegedly attacked a female police officer who was trying to get her off the road for her own safety.
After manoeuvring her handcuffs from behind her back to her front by moving her arms under her legs, the accused allegedly kicked the officer’s stomach and later bit her arm.
Russian national Tatiana Kuriachaia, 33, claimed trial to four charges of voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant, using abusive words on a public servant and public nuisance.
The court heard that the alleged victim, Sergeant Genevlene Ho Ting En, had gone to Claymore Road with her colleagues to respond to an unrelated case of rioting on the early morning of Apr 27, 2019.
Sgt Ho, the prosecution’s first witness, testified that she saw Kuriachaia sitting on a chevron marking on the road, that was between two lanes.
She asked Kuriachaia what she was doing there, and the latter responded that she was waiting for her Grab ride.
Sgt Ho said her primary concern was for Kuriachaia’s safety, as she was sitting in the middle of the road.
Body-worn police camera footage played in court showed vehicles going past Tatiana.
Sgt Ho asked Kuriachaia to move off the road to the pavement to wait for her Grab ride, but Kuriachaia responded that she was sitting in the middle of the chevron marking and that no cars could hit her.
Despite repeated advice, Kuriachaia refused to move. Sgt Ho said she felt Kuriachaia was slightly intoxicated as she kept repeating the same things and was not really listening to her.
Another three or four officers who were with Sgt Ho tried speaking to Kuriachaia, but to no avail.
The officers then warned her that if she did not comply and move off the road, they would arrest her.
THE HANDCUFFS
However, Sgt Ho said that Kuriachaia “tensed up” her arms when she tried to place the handcuffs on her.
Eventually they cuffed her with her hands behind her back as per standard operating procedures, and escorted her to the police vehicle.
While the officers were placing Kuriachaia into the vehicle, Kuriachaia managed to bring her cuffed hands from the back of her body to her front.
“How was she able to manage this feat?” questioned Deputy Public Prosecutor Chong Yong.
“She managed to bring her hands under her legs,” said Sgt Ho.
After this, Kuriachaia kept questioning why she was being cuffed and used vulgarities, saying this was “a violation of human rights”.
Sgt Ho testified that Kuriachaia then kicked her, with her feet striking the officer’s hand and stomach.
Sgt Ho then shouted for more officers to help and the group re-cuffed Kuriachaia with her hands behind her back. This time, they added a second pair of handcuffs securing her arm to her seatbelt.
FOOTAGE PLAYED IN COURT
Kuriachaia was shown in footage shouting about her “f***ing injured hand” and screaming at the top of her voice.
Sgt Ho said that Kuriachaia was “very agitated” during the journey to the police lock-up, shouting and demanding to know what she was arrested for.
She also demanded to know the officers’ names. Sgt Ho, who was seated beside her, said Kuriachaia leaned her body into her.