Singapore sentences British man to six weeks in prison for defying mask rule

A Singapore court has sentenced a British man to six weeks in jail after he repeatedly violated COVID-19 safety measures by refusing to wear a mask in public, as reported by local media on Wednesday.

Benjamin Glynn, 40, was convicted on four charges for not wearing a mask on a train in May and at a court session in July, in addition to creating a public disturbance and making threatening remarks to public officials.

As a result of his behavior and comments in court, Glynn was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation by the judge.

On Wednesday, he requested the court to dismiss the “unlawful charges” and sought the return of his passport so he could return to the UK to reunite with his family, according to media reports from CNA.

The judge reportedly told Glynn that he was “completely misguided” in his belief that he was exempt from Singapore’s mask-wearing laws.

Glynn chose to represent himself in court, and attempts by Reuters to reach him via phone calls and text messages went unanswered on Wednesday.

Known for its strict enforcement of laws, Singapore has jailed and fined individuals for violating COVID-19 rules, and some foreign nationals have had their work permits revoked for similar offenses.

Thanks in part to its rigorous rule enforcement, the city-state has been successful in controlling its coronavirus outbreaks.

Earlier in February, a British man was sentenced to two weeks in jail by a Singapore court after sneaking out of his hotel during quarantine to meet his fiancée.