News
Girl, 17, pleads guilty to cutting 2 S'pore secondary school staff with penknife to retrieve her confiscated phone
Her phone had been confiscated because she was late for class.
January 24, 2026, 05:49 PM
A 17-year-old girl pleaded guilty on Jan. 23, 2026, to two charges of intentionally causing injury with a sharp weapon after she used a penknife to cut the arms of her school's operations manager and discipline master.
According to Shin Min Daily News, she had done so in an attempt to retrieve her phone which had been confiscated because she was late for class.
The incident took place on Apr. 28, 2025 at a local secondary school.
As the suspect is below 18 years old, there is a gag order on her identity.
How the incident unfolded
Shin Min reported that on the day of the incident, the girl came late to school at 7:45am.
Her mobile phone was confiscated by the school's operations manager as a form of disciplinary action and she headed to class.
At about 12:20pm, during the lunch break, she went to find the manager to retrieve her phone, but was refused.
The girl then pulled out a penknife which she first used to cut her own arm, then the manager's left arm.
In response, the manager instructed the girl to sit outside the school administration room while he informed the discipline master about what had just happened.
When the discipline master tried to persuade the girl to hand over her penknife, she became agitated and refused to comply.
She then used the penknife to cut the discipline master's left arm as well, leaving a deep cut, while he was calling a colleague for help.
She was eventually disarmed by another school staff member and went home after finding out that the school had called the police.
She was arrested later at home on the same day.
Both the manager and discipline master sought medical treatment afterwards, with the latter taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
The case has been adjourned to Mar. 4 for sentencing.
Top image via Canva
