Children's home worker gets jail for beating up 12-year-old boy, asks to defer sentence for grandma's birthday
Nadine Chua
The Straits Times
Oct 29, 2025
A youth worker was sentenced to nine weeks' jail for beating up a 12-year-old boy living at a children's home, in an attack that lasted over three minutes.
The 28-year-old offender, who was employed at the home, pleaded guilty on Oct 29 to voluntarily causing hurt to a victim under the age of 14.
He cannot be named as doing so can lead to the identification of the children's home and the victim, whose identity is protected by a gag order.
Before the assault, the offender and the boy had gotten into a dispute, creating a lingering disagreement between them, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Mark Chia. It was not said in court what the dispute was about.
On Nov 10, 2024, while the boy was watching television in a room at the children's home, the offender confronted him and shoved him in the chest. He then forcefully pushed the boy, who fell off his chair and hit a wall nearby.
While the boy was on the ground, the offender dragged the boy away from the wall before hitting and kicking him repeatedly. The assault lasted more than three minutes.
A CCTV video played in court showed the boy screaming in pain and shaking his head as the offender continued to rain blows on him.
DPP Chia said the victim sought medical assistance on Nov 28, 2024, more than two weeks after the assault. No injuries were detected then. It was not mentioned in court how the offender's actions came to light.
Seeking a jail term of 11 to 12 weeks' jail, DPP Chia said the offender had abused his position of authority as a youth worker tasked to care for the children in his charge.
"Regardless of whether the victim had antagonised him, the accused was more than twice older than the victim. He should have had the sense to remain calm in the face of such a petty dispute but descended into juvenile thuggery," said the prosecutor.
In mitigation, the offender, who was unrepresented, said: "I am very remorseful for what I did and I should have been more sensible."
He asked for a deferment of his sentence so he could celebrate his grandmother's birthday in November.
The judge granted this, and the offender will begin his sentence on Nov 10.
