Woman jailed for throwing hangers at maid, causing her to bleed from cut
SINGAPORE — Angry with the way a domestic helper had arranged her clothing, a woman threw a bunch of hangers at the maid, causing bleeding around her eyebrow.
Wee Yee Nee’s relationship with Felisilda Sheila Marie Juromo, 37, had worsened in the three months the Filipino had been employed at Wee’s household.
On Wednesday (30 September), Wee, 42, was sentenced to one week’s jail after pleading guilty to one count of voluntarily causing hurt to Felisilda. Another two charges involving kicking Felisilda on her left thigh, and causing alarm to her by moving a lit cigarette toward her forehead, were taken into consideration for sentencing.
Wee was also ordered to pay a compensation of $1,000 to Felisilda, given that the maid had no employment for at least around a month and a half.
Felisilda started working for Wee on 23 January last year and was paid a monthly salary of $600. Wee soon became more easily agitated and angry at Felisilda over her performance. According to Wee, she would scold Felisilda for lying.
On 30 March, Wee was packing her walk-in wardrobe, intending to have Felisilda iron some clothes when she realised that the helper had arranged her clothes wrongly. Felisilda had placed four pieces of clothes on each hanger.
Wee became angry and scolded Felisilda, who was standing at the entrance of the walk-in wardrobe, and threw a bunch of clothes with hangers attached at her. The hangers, which had sharp-edged clips, hit Felisilda’s face, causing Felisilda’s right eyebrow to bleed from a cut.
Felisilda lodged a police report about the abuse on 12 April 2019. She became unemployed from then on but found alternative employment on 18 June.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Norine Tan said that a jail term was warranted in Wee’s case.
“She has admitted that she knew that such an act was likely to cause hurt and further, she faces two other (taken into consideration) charges that involve her kicking the victim once and threatening her with a lit cigarette,” said DPP Tan.
Wee’s lawyer said that his client was remorseful over the act.
A charge of voluntarily causing hurt carries a jail term of up to two years, and/or a fine of up to $5,000. As Wee is an employer who caused hurt to her maid, her punishment could have been enhanced by up to one and a half times.
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