Freelance football coach jailed for attacking teen, causing broken nose
Incensed after one of his male family members was punched in the face, a man attacked a 15-year-old boy in December 2023, causing a fractured nasal bone, even though the teenager was not involved in the earlier assault.
In fact, the victim was merely a friend of another teenager who had earlier confronted Mohammad Fathi Mohd Yunus’ teenage relative.
On Dec 2, the 48-year-old part-time freelance football coach was sentenced to 10 weeks’ jail after he pleaded guilty to an assault charge.
Details about the relative, the victim, the victim’s friend and the youth who had earlier hit Fathi’s relative cannot be disclosed as they were below 18 years old at the time of the incident.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Adelle Tai told the court that Fathi’s family member got into a dispute with a 15-year-old youth in Somapah Road, near Simei Road, on Dec 22, 2023.
The 15-year-old and a 14-year-old boy later spotted Fathi’s relative and approached him.
The 15-year-old confronted Fathi’s relative, who then punched the boy’s face. The 14-year-old friend retaliated and punched Fathi’s relative once on his left cheek before leaving the vicinity.
Fathi, who found out about the incident, headed to Somapah Road and saw that his relative was bleeding.
The relative pointed to the victim, who was not involved in the earlier scuffle, and told Fathi that he was a friend of the person who had confronted him.
Fathi approached the victim and told him to call his friend to return to Somapah Road. The victim phoned the 15-year-old boy, but he refused to return to the location.
Fathi then punched the victim, who was later taken to Changi General Hospital, where he was found with injuries including a nasal bone fracture.
The teenager’s medical expenses came up to nearly $500 and Fathi offered to give him the amount as compensation.
However, the victim’s parents rejected the offer, said DPP Tai, who urged the court to sentence Fathi for up to four months’ jail.
She also stressed that Fathi’s attack on the victim was “completely unprovoked”.
Defence lawyer S.S. Dhillon, however, asked for his client to be given two months’ jail. The lawyer from Dhillon & Panoo said the victim had sworn at Fathi.
Mr Dhillon added: “(Fathi) is a mild-mannered, disciplined and responsible person who goes about concentrating on his family and... his job... Everything he had done was... to protect his family.”
Fathi was arrested in June 2024.
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