Jail for HIV-positive man who bit auxiliary police officer in hospital
An HIV-positive man, who had been arrested for drug offences, bit an auxiliary police officer’s arm during a struggle with doctors in hospital.
A doctor evaluated that the officer, who was wearing a long-sleeved uniform at the time, was at low risk of infection.
The accused, 41, was sentenced to seven years and five months’ jail on Tuesday. This included a five-month jail term for biting the officer.
He pleaded guilty to seven offences, including voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty and drug possession and consumption. Fourteen other charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.
The Straits Times is not naming him due to the sensitivity of his HIV-positive status.
Court documents showed he was first arrested in March 2018 in a room at the Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel. Police officers found numerous packets of drugs, including 9.66g of methamphetamine.
But he did not turn up in court in July 2019, and a warrant of arrest was issued against him.
On Jan 24, 2022 at about 4.05am, he was arrested in a serviced apartment at Citadines Balestier. The drug packets found there contained about 57g of methamphetamine.
The man was then admitted to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. A team of escorting officers, including the victim, attended to him.
At about 5.35pm, doctors examined the man at his bed. He struggled and the officers held on to his hands and feet to restrain him.
He suddenly turned towards the victim and bit his left forearm over his sleeve.
The officer discovered his attacker was HIV-positive. Two days later, he visited the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) and reported the incident.
Dr Choy Chiaw Yee, a consultant at NCID, noted the underlying skin of his forearm was not broken, and he had no other injuries on his body.
Dr Choy evaluated the victim to be at low risk of HIV infection and did not offer any treatment or medication. However, the victim requested a repeat HIV screening.
Court documents did not state the screening results.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Darren Ang said an assault by biting carries the potential of causing serious harm, due to the risks of transmission of bacteria and infectious diseases.
He added that when offenders are carriers of serious infectious diseases, such cases fall within a more severe category. He sought five to six months’ jail for the assault.
DPP Ang added that the man had been previously sentenced to five years and 10 months’ imprisonment in 2009 for drug offences related to methamphetamine. This made him liable for enhanced punishment.
The man, who is currently in remand, listened to court proceedings via video-link. He was represented by lawyer R. Gupta.
In an earlier incident, a 41-year-old HIV-positive man who bit a Central Narcotics Bureau officer during a raid had his jail term reduced from 20 months to 14 months in March.
His lawyers had submitted new medical evidence for his appeal, which indicated there was no risk of transmission from the man’s bite, as his viral load was suppressed.
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