PORT DICKSON: A 24-year-old technician charged with using criminal force against a police team that had ordered him and his family to disperse from a beach here under the movement control order (MCO) has been sentenced to three months’ jail.

Jonathan John from Petaling Jaya, Selangor, was sentenced by magistrate Siti Huzaifah Abd Talib after he pleaded guilty to the charge.

The accused was charged under Section 353 of the Penal Code for assault or using force or for having the intent to prevent a public servant from discharging his duty.

The offence could have led to two years in jail, a fine or both upon conviction.

John was arrested by the police at the popular Teluk Kemang beach here at around 1.30am on March 19.

According to the facts of the case, he arrived at the beach with eight family members at around 9pm on March 18 to celebrate his sister's birthday.

After putting up a tent, the family had a barbeque where alcoholic drinks were also served.

However, a police team patrolling the beach stretch arrived around 1am and advised the group to adhere to the MCO and to disperse.

However, John became aggressive towards the cops and began shouting abusive language and expletives at them.

This left the cops with no other option but to detain him.

John was also slapped with a RM100 fine in default one day’s jail for another offence under Section 14A of the Minor Offences Act 1955.

The accused was unrepresented, while Sara Afiqah Zulkipli prosecuted.

John becomes the second individual to be charged for preventing a public servant from executing his duties in connection with the imposition of the MCO.

On Monday (March 23), a 33 year-old mechanic became the first person to be charged for flouting the MCO and obstructing a public servant from discharging his duty.

S. Punniamurthy, pleaded guilty to the charge at the Sungai Siput magistrate’s court and was fined RM5,000, in default 10 months’ jail for the offence.

He was found guilty of voluntarily obstructing a police officer from discharging his public functions by refusing to produce his personal identification document and pushing the police officer concerned in front of his house at Persiaran Orkid 8, Taman Orkid, Sungai Siput (U) last Friday (March 20).