A TEENAGER who punched a bus driver and spat in the face of a police officer during a rampage earlier this year was sentenced to 18 months' probation yesterday.
Muhammad Saiful Jamal Shariff, 18, will also have to serve 150 hours of community service, follow a curfew and wear an electronic tag.
He will also have to attend a programme to curb his drinking habit.
According to court papers, he had boarded a bus in North Bridge Road with a friend on July 12.
Saiful was upset that the driver had at first pulled away from the stop without seeing him, forcing the pair to chase down the bus near City Hall.
Just after boarding via the front door, Saiful and his friend lunged towards the driver, Mr Pusparaja Visivasam, 30, and punched him in the face.
They had to be restrained by other passengers while Mr Pusparaja drove the bus towards the nearby Supreme Court to wait for the police.
A few minutes later, a police officer arrived at the scene and Saiful began shouting at him. He ignored warnings to calm down and began hurling insults at the police officer, even spitting on his face. The pair were then arrested.
A Singapore General Hospital medical report stated that Mr Pusparaja suffered minor injuries to his face and left shoulder.
He was discharged that same day and given three days' medical leave.
Outside the courthouse yesterday, Saiful's parents and sister said they were relieved that he had not been sentenced to time in a reformative training centre.
There, offenders are confined and put through a regimen of foot drills, counselling, education and vocational training.
His sister, Ms Lisa Fizali, 25, a guest relations officer said: 'He was influenced by the bad company he mixed with. He was also drunk at the time and I hope he will learn from his mistake.'
Saiful had been taking on odd jobs since dropping out of the Institute of Technical Education in July last year.
He pleaded guilty earlier this month and had spent the past three weeks at Queenstown Remand Prison.
His case will be up for review in January.
This article was first published in The Straits Times on Sept 29, 2008.
