Lawyer fined for 7min verbal abuse of cop outside Zouk

A practising lawyer found himself standing sheepishly in the dock of the State Courts on Nov 6, after an alcohol-fuelled night out at Zouk nightclub in 2022.

Police officers had approached Tony Tan Soon Yong after a scuffle with two others left him bleeding from the head.

Instead of cooperating with the officers, Tan hurled verbal abuse at one of them for seven minutes, telling him that “as a matter of law, you cannot touch me”. He also demanded that the officer seek his permission before taking his statement.

On Nov 6, the 41-year-old Singaporean pleaded guilty to one charge of harassment and was sentenced to a fine of $3,000.

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

The court heard that Tan had gone to Zouk at River Valley Road for drinks in the early hours of July 2, 2022.

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Deputy Public Prosecutor Darren Sim said that sometime after 1am, Tan got into an argument with another man inside the club and punched the man twice in the face.

Tan then threw another punch at the cheek of a security staff member employed by Zouk who had attempted to intervene.

At this point, more security staff arrived to separate the trio before escorting them outside to wait for the police.

When the officers arrived, Tan, who was accompanied by his friend and girlfriend, became confrontational as a senior staff sergeant attempted to take his statement.

DPP Sim said Tan was observed to be intoxicated and was walking unsteadily at the time.

In the tirade littered with profanities, Tan identified himself as a lawyer and threatened to sue the officer. He also taunted the officer to arrest him.

The exchange was captured on the officer’s body-worn camera. Tan was then arrested by the police.

In mitigation, Tan’s lawyer Christine Low from Peter Low Chambers said he had suffered injuries to his head during the scuffle, which left him bleeding and drenched in his own blood.

Ms Low said that while the injury was not an excuse for his behaviour, the entire incident was out of character for Tan who otherwise had an “unblemished” record.