Granddad jailed over beating at coffee shop

A 54-year-old grandfather who joined his family members in beating up a man at a coffee shop was yesterday jailed for 17 months.

In handing down the punishment for Roslan Zainol, which includes a 10-month term for a separate attack on another man, District Judge Low Wee Ping said: "When I read the statement of facts, it read like a movie. An action movie."

Two other charges of voluntarily causing hurt and affray were taken into consideration.

Roslan was part of a group of six to seven that confronted the 53-year-old victim at a coffee shop along Chai Chee Road on Jan 18 last year. This was after the coffee shop's owner had broken up a fight between the man and Roslan's 50-year-old brother, Abdul Ahmad Zainol.

Together with an unidentified fourth man, Roslan, his 28-year-old son Khalid and Abdul Ahmad punched and kicked their victim.

Khalid was sentenced to seven months' jail in February for taking part in the attack. He had struck the man repeatedly with a wooden pole, which broke into two after the first blow, before throwing it and a plastic chair at him.

Roslan threw a glass mug at the man and kicked him after he had fallen to the ground, then hit him with a plastic chair. This left the victim bleeding, and with injuries including a fractured nose and bruises.

Yesterday, Roslan also pleaded guilty to rioting on May 17 last year. Together with three others and his brother, he attacked a man over a perceived slight concerning the sale of a pair of sunglasses. Roslan's brother had wanted to sell the sunglasses for $20 to buy food for his wife.

Roslan's criminal record dates back to 1977 and includes convictions for drug-related offences. He has four children and four young grandchildren.

For voluntarily causing hurt, he could have been jailed up to two years and fined $5,000.

This article was published on April 11 in The Straits Times.

Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.