KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 — A man who got angry and slapped a Starbuck employee after being chided for smoking in a public place was fined RM1,000, in default three months’ jail, by the Magistrate’s Court here today for hurting the employee.

Magistrate Mohamed Fared Abdul Latif meted out the fine on Mitchel Glend Samson, 27, after he pleaded guilty to a charge of voluntarily causing hurt to Nur Hanisah Abu Hasan, 23, in front of the Starbucks outlet at Plaza Berjaya, Jalan Imbi, here at 3.20pm last November 13.

During mitigation, Samson told the court that he scanned the MySejahtera application at the shop, but was not allowed to enter the premises due to his "high risk” status, and took a seat at the side of the Starbuck outlet while waiting for a friend to buy him coffee.

"The Starbucks employee then approached me and chided me for smoking. I admit that I was wrong to have raised my hands at her. I apologise and seek a lenient sentence because I have a family in Sabah to support,” he said.

Deputy public prosecutor Abdul Khaliq Nazeri prosecuted. — Bernama