Norwegian tourist goes on drunken rampage in hotel on Seah Street

Update*: Norwegian tourist charged with assaulting hotel workers

Elena Chong, The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - A Norwegian tourist who allegedly attacked two hotel workers appeared in court on Friday to face five charges of assault, criminal trespass and disorderly behaviour.

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

Norwegian tourist goes on drunken rampage in hotel on Seah Street

His vacation seems to have included some drinks.

And the drinks could have led the tourist to allegedly commit a string of strange assaults.

By the time the night was over, he had allegedly attacked two hotel employees and a police officer.

Tomorrow, he will be hauled to court to face five charges.

A police spokesman told The New Paper that they received a call on Saturday at about 5.30am asking for assistance at a hotel on Seah Street.

TNP understands it was at the Naumi hotel, a boutique hotel with rooms that go for at least $300 a night.

The award-winning hotel is surrounded by watering holes and restaurants.

It is understood that the tourist, a Norwegian, was a guest there and was apparently drunk that morning.

He had asked a female receptionist for the room rates as he wanted to book another room.

Sources said he had arrived in Singapore alone. It is not known when he arrived.

On Saturday morning, after being told the rates for another room, he went to the lift lobby and began shouting.

He then allegedly hit the receptionist on the left upper arm before taking the lift up.

He got off the lift at an upper level, took the stairs to the rooftop infinity pool on the 10th storey. Then he went to another level and entered the room of another guest.

The guest, alarmed by the intrusion, informed the hotel and a male receptionist went up and told the Norwegian to leave.

Instead, the man allegedly punched and kicked the receptionist, causing him to suffer minor injuries.

He then left the hotel and the police were called.

A police spokesman told TNP that officers from the Central Police Division responded to the scene.

SHOUTING

TNP understands that when officers arrived, they heard someone shouting nearby.

His description matched that of the tourist.

He was seen arguing with a construction worker.

Officers told him several times to quieten down, but he refused.

After more warnings, he continued to ramble. Police officers then arrested him.

They noticed he had minor injuries and was bleeding from the face.

It is not known how he got hurt.

The police then drove him to the Singapore General Hospital to be treated.

Later, as they were about to leave the hospital for the Police Cantonment Complex, he allegedly caused more trouble.

While seated in the stationary car, he started kicking the door. Officers then went to check on him.

The police spokesman told TNP the suspect turned violent and kicked and charged at an officer. "Necessary force" was used to subdue him.

It was then that he allegedly kicked the officer in the leg. The officer suffered superficial wounds.

When TNP went to Naumi Hotel yesterday, manager P. Jey declined to comment on the incident.

The tourist faces one charge of disorderly behaviour, one of criminal trespass, two of voluntarily causing hurt, and one of voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant.

If convicted of voluntarily causing hurt, he could face a fine of up to $5,000, a jail term of up to two years, or both.

For voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant, he could be punished with a jail term of up to seven years, fined, caned, or any combination of these punishments.

Criminal trespass carries imprisonment of up to three months, a fine of up to $1,500 or both.

OTHER CASES OF DRUNKEN RAMPAGES

SEPTEMBER 2013

A British tourist got drunk at a bar on South Bridge Road on Sept 15.

When he could not pay for his drinks, he hurled racial slurs and threw glasses, hitting a bartender. He charged at a police officer before being tasered. He was sentenced to six weeks' jail and fined $3,000.

JUNE 2013

A man, 47, was drunk in the early hours of June 29 when he tried to order an oyster omelette from a fellow stallholder. When he was rejected, he pointed a 20-cm long chopper at him and hacked his cash machine. He was convicted of criminal intimidation and jailed for four weeks.

MARCH 2014

A drunk man, 51, was arrested after he obstructed an SBS bus at Serangoon Road. He hit and kicked the bus after the driver refused to allow him to board. The bus' rear mirror and front wiper were damaged.

regmlee@sph.com.sg

This article was published on May 15 in The New Paper.

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