A husband and wife pair living in Punggol have been hauled to court on May 21 and charged with a slew of harassment offences against their next-door neighbours.

The victims, comprising a nurse from Sengkang General Hospital (SKH), his wife and two children, revealed that both sides had a good relationship the past six years.

But this stopped when the Covid-19 pandemic occurred.

The man, Cheang Eng Hock, 56, and his wife, Lim Sok Lay, 48, are facing multiple charges including using insulting words or behaviour under the Protection from Harassment Act, as well as an unrelated charge of public nuisance.

The incidents occurred at a HDB block of flats at Edgefield Plains in Punggol.

The wife was ordered by the judge to be remanded in the Institute of Mental Health for two weeks to undergo a psychiatric assessment.

Both will return to court at later dates.

Police say investigations commenced but more reports made

On May 20, 2021, the police said in a statement that they received an initial report more than a year ago on May 15, 2020 that a man and woman had harassed their neighbours.

Police investigations commenced upon this initial report.

But while investigations were ongoing, the police received several additional reports between October 2020 and January 2021 alleging similar harassment by the duo.

This was despite all parties having attended mediation at the Community Mediation Centre in June 2020 to seek a resolution to the matter.

In March this year, the nurse again posted videos on Instagram of his neighbour throwing soapy water on the ground outside his home and spraying disinfectant at his family.

This is not the subject of any charges yet.

More alleged harassment and possibly more charges

Moreover, the couple had also allegedly uttered derogatory phrases at a man at SKH on Jan. 8, 2021.

They allegedly said, “This nurse gangster”, “This nurse no good” and “This Malay nurse very bad”.

But it was not specified if the victim is the couple's neighbour.

In court on May 21, it was heard that the police prosecutor could be pressing two more charges against Cheang in relation to the nurse at SKH.

In its statement, the police said they have remained in contact with the parties involved over the course of the investigations, and advised all parties to minimise contact and interactions with each other.

The police also said they “do not condone any behaviour that impacts the public’s sense of safety and security in the neighbourhoods”. 

“We urge members of the public to practise neighbourliness and work together to overcome Covid-19 together.”