Six weeks’ jail for Briton seen in video without a mask

The British national seen in a video without a mask while riding in an MRT train in May has been convicted of all four of his charges following a trial yesterday.

Benjamin Glynn, 40, was sentenced to six weeks in jail.

District Judge Eddy Tham found Glynn guilty of two charges under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, as well as one count each of harassment and being a public nuisance.

At an earlier point during the trial, one of the Briton's arresting officers testified that Glynn had resisted arrest.

Inspector Chee Xiu Quan also told the court Glynn had said that Covid-19 was a "hoax".

Insp Chee testified that the Briton had also told the officers the "(Covid-19) vaccine was bad for human health".

The policeman added that according to Glynn, one of the Briton's friends landed in intensive care after getting vaccinated.

Glynn, who was unrepresented, has been deemed to have no diagnosable mental disorders and fit to plead following psychiatric observation at the Institute of Mental Health.

The Briton, who had claimed to be a "sovereign" in arguing that the charges he faced did not apply to him, has been in remand since his bail of $5,000 was revoked on July 19.

He had failed to wear a mask while travelling in an MRT train some time before May 8. Glynn caused annoyance to the public during the trip by declaring: "I will never wear a mask."

On May 9, he was at the ground-level lift lobby of Allsworth Park condominium in Holland Road at around 12.30am when he used threatening words while addressing Insp Chee and Assistant Superintendent Alvin Quek Chin Han.

As he was taking his seat in the dock yesterday, Glynn called out to Deputy Public Prosecutor Timotheus Koh, asking if the latter had any more messages from his family.

Glynn then said: "Maybe my dead grandma has contacted you from beyond the grave."

WOMAN IN GALLERY

About 10 minutes into the trial, a woman seated in the gallery was spotted with her mask off, fiddling with its straps.

When security officers inside the courtroom approached her, she said her mask was "broken" and that they had no "contract" with her.

She refused to comply when Judge Tham asked her to leave the courtroom, and exclaimed that the trial was held in a "kangaroo court".

She was finally escorted out and did not return for the remainder of the trial.

Insp Chee testified yesterday that he had gone to Glynn's home with ASP Quek on May 9 to ascertain if the Briton was indeed the maskless man caught on the video.

According to Insp Chee, the officers were interviewing him on the ground floor when Glynn said that Covid-19 was a "hoax".

The policeman told Judge Tham that Glynn then said he was a boxer, who could "take on" the officers.

The court heard that the officers were about to place Glynn in handcuffs when he resisted arrest and adopted a "boxing stance".

Insp Chee later took out his baton and told Glynn to lie on the ground. The policeman said he used the baton to hit the Briton's thigh when the latter lunged forward.

The court heard that Glynn tried to run off soon after and the officers managed to handcuff him after he fell.

DPP Koh had urged the court yesterday to sentence Glynn to seven weeks' jail, stressing that the Briton had shown no remorse.

In response, Glynn said there was "a total disregard for common law in Singapore", and added: "You are not my master and I am not your slave."

Before handing down the sentence, Judge Tham said he agreed with the prosecution, noting that Glynn had shown a "blatant disregard for the law".