SINGAPORE — In a fit of jealous rage, a Marina Bay Sands hotel guest smashed the glass panel of his hotel room on the seventh floor, threw his luggage out and tried to drag his girlfriend out with him.

After the police were called, New Zealand national Taputoro Meihana Deane Delamere pushed one officer and punched another.

The 32-year-old man was sentenced to three months and four weeks’ jail on Monday (6 January) after he pleaded guilty to one count each of causing hurt to his then-girlfriend, 29-year-old Tangitutu Louisa Ada Ehetera, of committing a rash act by throwing items down from his room, and causing hurt to a public servant.

Other charges of causing hurt to a police officer and committing mischief by wrecking the hotel room to a tune of more than $8,000 were taken into consideration during sentencing.

Taputoro, a father of four, and Tangitutu, had been dating for nine months when they visited Singapore on 13 November last year.

On the third day of their vacation, Taputoro became jealous and angry upon seeing Tangitutu dancing with another man at a club.

Things got heated when the couple returned to their hotel room on the seventh floor of MBS at about 4am. Taputoro shouted at his girlfriend and they argued.

In his rage, Taputoro punched and kicked Tangitutu’s face multiple times while she was seated on a chair, ignoring her cries to stop.

Meanwhile, security officers who were alerted to the ruckus approached the room but were told to go away by Taputoro, who slammed his girlfriend’s phone against the wall.

Taputoro then smashed the glass panel at the room’s balcony with a chair and tried to force Tangitutu to jump with him. She managed to break free and fled the room.

Taputoro then threw two suitcases, two backpacks and one metal pole from the room. The items landed harmlessly on the road at about 5.30am.

Unable to open the door, security officers called the police, who entered a room two doors down from Taputoro’s. They observed Taputoro from the balcony.

Taputoro saw the officers and challenged them to come and get him. Instead of waiting however, Taputoro then clambered over to a parapet separating the balconies to the officers. He pushed an officer, causing him to stumble and hit his head on a glass door.

He then punched the left cheek of another officer, Voluntary Special Constable Police Officer Joel Lim You Yang, who had come to his colleague’s aid.

Lim sought medical treatment and was diagnosed with facial pain. He was given three days of medical leave. Tangitutu sustained bruises on her face and scalp from her ordeal.

Taputoro caused damage amounting to $8,742.80. The bulk of the amount went to replacing the room’s main door. He also wrecked three glass balcony panels, a chair, a sofa, two balcony chairs, a coffee table and a sprinkler head. The lights, bathroom fittings and TV cables also had to be replaced. The damages also included wall stains, debris and damaged furniture which had to be removed.

In a handwritten letter to the court, Taputoro apologised to his victims and to Singapore, attributing his actions to his heavily intoxicated state.

“I should have controlled my drinking and known that enough was enough. I also know now that I have a drinking problem and anger issues and when I am back in New Zealand, I will be seeking... help with these issues so that it never happens again,” he said.

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