SINGAPORE: A man was fined S$1,200 (US$875) on Wednesday (Sep 27) for failing to wear a mask in September 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
British national Clive Ainsley Griffin, 56, flouted the COVID-19 regulation along with his wife, 48-year-old Singaporean Clariel Griffin, after a drinking session at Marina Bay Sands (MBS).
He pleaded guilty to one count of failing to wear a mask, with a second charge of public nuisance taken into consideration.
The court heard that Griffin and his wife had dinner and alcohol with friends at the Dallas Bar at MBS on Sep 11, 2021.
After serving a last round of drinks to the group, the bar owner encouraged them to finish their drinks as consumption of alcohol was not permitted past 10.30pm. The group did not finish their drinks despite a second reminder.
At 10.28pm, the bar owner saw safe-distancing ambassadors patrolling the area to make sure no alcohol was being sold or consumed past the permitted time.
The bar owner told a safe-distancing ambassador that his staff were trying to clear the drinks from Griffin’s table.
After the drinks were cleared, Griffin and his wife left the bar. Closed-circuit television cameras captured them exchanging words with the safe-distancing ambassadors.
The ambassadors later saw the couple again and asked them to wear their masks, but the couple refused. At the time, it was mandatory to wear masks in public places due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the ambassadors recorded the incident on the phone as the couple refused to wear their masks.
Griffin questioned the need to wear a mask in Singapore, considering it to be oppressive, the court heard.
One of his friends tried to calm him down and explained the need to wear a mask. Griffin and his wife walked away and the safe-distancing ambassadors told their supervisor what happened before reporting it to the police.
The prosecution sought a fine, leaving the quantum to the court.
Defence lawyers Silas Siew, Josephus Tan and Cory Wong from Invictus Law asked for a fine of not more than S$1,000.
Mr Siew said Griffin had no prior conviction and had acted out of character from “a momentary lapse in judgment”.
He added Griffin was already vaccinated at the time and there was no evidence that anyone contracted COVID-19 as a result of his “lapse in judgment”.
The judge said that Griffin had continued to not wear a mask despite being told to do so. The judge also noted Griffin’s lack of prior convictions and that he had not worn a mask for only five minutes.
The case for Griffin’s wife is pending before the courts.