SINGAPORE, Nov 3 — A Singapore court has reportedly granted a personal protection order (PPO) to a young man against his father after finding that the older man had repeatedly resorted to physical violence over household disputes.
According to a judgment released yesterday District Judge Soh Kian Peng ruled that the PPO was necessary for the son’s safety, Singapore’s CNA reported.
The judgment cited several incidents where the father slapped his son, pulled his hair, spat on him and even shot him in the face with a rubber band.
It did not state the son’s exact age, but noted that he was above 18 and two years away from graduating.
The court heard that the father was frustrated with his son’s living habits, which included sleeping on the living room sofa, using a wall socket to charge his laptop and resisting when his father tried to close his bedroom door. He admitted to most of the acts, including stamping on his son’s foot and pouring water on him as punishment.
Judge Soh said the father could not claim his actions were disciplinary, as the “correction exception” under the Women’s Charter only applies to minors below 18.
He added that the father’s violence appeared to stem from growing irritation over his son’s behaviour, despite attempts to reason with him.
The court also ordered both father and son to attend counselling sessions to help rebuild their relationship.
