Neo Gim Huah, the man who slapped teenage blogger Amos Yee outside the state courts on 30 April, has pleaded guilty today morning and asked the courts for leniency for sentencing.
49 year-old Neo had walked up to Yee, who was attending court for posting a video that criticised former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, and slapped him on the face, before running off and taunting Yee with what sounded to be a call to sue him.
Neo was arrested at 2pm on 1 May and subsequently charged.
Neo had said that he had intentionally hit Yee in the presence of the media as he “wanted the assault to be publicised so that the world at large would know that (Yee) was being taught a lesson”, according to his plea.
“This child is so disobedient that even the elders, parents, police, the court and the society will not have any impact on him,” he said. “I remember how arrogant he was…That’s why I thought by giving him one slap would instil fear in him, and also let him know what are the ways of the world.”
Neo, who apologised in his statement to Yee and his parents for the act, also said that Yee had been disrespectful and had insulted Singapore’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew.
He wanted to “teach Yee a lesson as an elder” and had not wanted to hurt the teenager.
He said that he had wanted to punish Yee after watching Yee’s video, adding that while initially restrained himself, he became outraged shortly before Yee’s third court appearance on Apr 30, when he realised the blogger had flouted his bail conditions.
The prosecution has asked for two weeks’ imprisonment. Sentence will be passed this afternoon by District Judge Ronald Gwee.
Adapted from media reports.
