Neighbours who chanted 'Virus, virus!' and harassed nurse's family to be charged on May 21

Getting sprayed with disinfectant and hearing shouts of "virus, virus" when returning home would cause any frontline worker distress —especially during the pandemic.

A year after a nurse made a police report on the harassment, two of his neighbours will be charged in court for various offences on Friday (May 21).

The 55-year-old man and 48-year-old woman allegedly used vulgarities and insulted the nurse and his family, sprayed disinfectant towards their flat, and splashed water along the common corridor, the police said on Thursday.

They have been investigating the case since a report was made on May 15 last year and received more reports alleging similar harassment by the pair from last October to this January.

The neighbours' behaviour continued despite both parties seeking resolution at the Community Mediation Centre last June.

Just this week, CCTV footage showing the man splashing soapy water outside the nurse's flat as his wife was preparing to leave for work surfaced on social media.

When she turned to look at him, the neighbour asked her "What are you looking at?" in expletive-laden Hokkien and shut his gate.

The nurse posted other clips of similar encounters in March this year and December last year on Instagram, saying that the pungent smell of the disinfecting solution used by his neighbour made his son cough.

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He first made a police report last May after his neighbours sprayed him with disinfectant while chanting "Virus, virus!"

The nurse's family were not spared either. In a separate Instagram post that month, his wife shared that their daughter was traumatised after getting sprayed with disinfectant, and the incident left her afraid of going out or playing in the common corridor.

The police said that they do not condone behaviour that impacts the sense of safety and security in neighbourhoods, and urged members of the public to practise neighbourliness and work to overcome Covid-19 together.

They added that the woman will also be charged with causing public nuisance in an unrelated incident.

For harassment, one may be jailed for up to six months, or fined up to $5,000, or both. For public nuisance, one may be jailed for up to three months, or fined up to $2,000, or both.

lamminlee@asiaone.com