3 weeks’ jail for man who was filmed assaulting his girlfriend at Lucky Plaza
Claudia Tan
The Straits Times
July 30, 2026
A man caught on video assaulting his girlfriend at Lucky Plaza has been sentenced to three weeks’ jail.
Andrew Suresh Markandan, 47, pleaded guilty on July 29 to two charges of voluntarily causing hurt.
The incident happened on Feb 8, when Andrew met his girlfriend at the mall. Details about the victim cannot be disclosed owing to a gag order.
The court heard that Andrew was unhappy when his girlfriend revealed that her 15-year-old son had received money from his biological father.
“The accused felt triggered and aggrieved, as he had provided some financial support to her son and her family and was unhappy that the victim’s ex-partner was suddenly involved with her family again,” said State Prosecuting Officer Zakir Hussain.
He became even more upset when the woman’s female friend kissed and hugged her at the pub they were in.
When she realised he was unhappy, Andrew’s girlfriend left the pub with her friend. But he was not done and went looking for her.
He saw her texting someone on her phone, and suspected she was communicating with her ex-partner. An argument ensued and Andrew tried to take her phone, which she had placed in her handbag.
During the altercation, Andrew pushed his girlfriend into a corner and grabbed her from behind with both arms. He was trying to get to her bag.
Andrew also tried to push her into a lift, but she resisted. By then, passers-by had gathered because of the commotion.
The woman ran into a shop at Lucky Plaza to seek help, but Andrew followed her. He then punched the back of her head and kicked her in the back.
A passer-by helped the woman leave the mall, while several others restrained Andrew.
The woman suffered multiple bruises to her shoulder, thigh and shin as a result of the assault.
When Andrew learnt that a video of the assault had gone viral and attracted media coverage, he reached out to his girlfriend on Feb 10 to dissuade her from making a police report. He also offered to compensate her.
But she rejected his offer and reported him to the police the next day.
Prior to the incident in February, Andrew had attacked his girlfriend on March 30, 2025.
The earlier incident happened near a hotel in Bugis, when the couple could not secure a room because Andrew did not have his physical NRIC with him.
After they left the hotel, the woman suggested they return to their respective homes as it was late.
Andrew insisted that they go to his house so that he could retrieve his NRIC and return to the hotel, and an argument broke out between the pair.
During the argument, Andrew grabbed the woman’s phone and threw it on the ground. He also tried to grab her handbag to get her to follow him home.
When the woman resisted, he slapped her twice and pushed her onto the ground.
The woman walked away and sat outside the hotel entrance. Andrew followed her and took her handbag and left.
He later tried to enter the hotel but was stopped by staff. The woman sought help from the hotel staff, who called the police.
As a result of the incident, the woman sustained redness to her face, scratches on her right forearm and abrasions on her right knee.
The police recovered the woman’s handbag from Andrew later that night.
For voluntarily causing hurt, an offender can be jailed for up to three years, fined $5,000, or both.
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