SINGAPORE – Disbarred lawyer Ravi Madasamy was on Aug 2 sentenced to 14 weeks’ jail and fined $5,500 for a string of offences he committed between 2021 and 2023.
These include verbally insulting a saleswoman when she could not hear him during a conversation, slapping an acquaintance who wanted to greet him, and pushing over a restaurant waitress who asked if he wanted a drink.
The former lawyer, also known as M. Ravi, also pushed a priest and hurled vulgarities at several people in a temple in South Bridge Road.
The 55-year-old had pleaded guilty in July to six counts of voluntarily causing hurt and one count each for harassment, using criminal force, and causing public nuisance.
In November 2021, Ravi was at a law firm in North Bridge Road, where he was practising law, when he threw a glass perfume bottle at a paralegal and strangled the man whom he blamed for not printing documents for a hearing.
When the paralegal said he had asked another colleague to print the documents, Ravi threw a remote control at the other man.
In January 2022, Ravi was at a boutique in Joo Chiat when he became agitated that a saleswoman said she could not hear him. He insulted her and shouted vulgarities at her.
In February that year, he was at a bookshop in Upper Cross Street when an acquaintance greeted him. Ravi became agitated and slapped the man.
At Sri Mariamman Temple in South Bridge Road in July 2023, Ravi threw a plate of offerings on the floor and pushed a priest who tried to pick up the offerings. Some time later, he hurled vulgarities at several people and was escorted out of the temple.
He went back to the temple in September 2023 to buy some items but ended up slapping a shop assistant after getting frustrated.
In July that year, Ravi was having a meal at a restaurant in South Bridge Road when he became agitated with a waitress who asked if he wanted coffee or tea after his meal.
He pushed her to the ground, causing her to bleed from the back of her head, before verbally abusing the restaurant manager.
That month, the police were called to Yio Chu Kang MRT station after multiple reports were made against Ravi and his disruptive behaviour. He agreed to leave when the officers arrived, but later got into a dispute with an SMRT employee and slapped the man in full view of the police.