SINGAPORE, Aug 8 — Annoyed by the noise from birds chirping near his flat, a 61-year-old said he used a homemade slingshot to fire glass marbles at a nearby tree where they were roosting.
But instead of hitting the birds, the glass marbles struck a glass panel at Zhenghua Community Club, causing S$29,000 (RM97,747) of damage.
Today, Lim Leong Sim pleaded guilty to committing a rash act that endangered the life or personal safety of others. He was sentenced to three weeks' jail.
The court heard that on April 19 at about 5.30pm, Lim was watching television.
"The accused claimed that he heard some bird noises coming from the trees directly opposite his block area, and this annoyed him," said State Prosecuting Officer Ghopinath Kalimuthu.
Lim then used a slingshot, which he made, and shot glass marbles "two or three times" at a tree between his home and the community club.
While he claimed to have aimed the birds roosting in the tree, the glass marbles ended up striking and cracking the glass windows of Zhenghua Community Club.
A project coordinator for a contractor for the community club then called the police about the incident.
According to the community club, the estimated cost of dismantling and replacing the panels is S$29,000, said Ghopinath.
The prosecutor added that the police traced and arrested Lim on April 22, where they seized several marbles, a receipt for a hardware store and a wooden slingshot.
For committing a rash act that endangers the life or personal safety of others, Lim could have been jailed up to six months, fined up to S$2,500 or both. — TODAY
