SINGAPORE, Dec 18 — A 68-year-old man who repeatedly attacked fellow residents and staff at a nursing home in Singapore, and later set a mattress on fire, has been jailed after a string of violent incidents at the facility.

Jahalal Ali was sentenced to 15 weeks’ jail on Tuesday after pleading guilty to two counts of voluntarily causing hurt and one charge of mischief by fire. 

He was also given an additional 49 days’ jail for breaching a remission order linked to earlier offences that required him to stay out of trouble between January 9, 2023, and June 18, 2025. Four other charges were taken into consideration at sentencing.

Court documents cited by Singapore daily The Straits Times said Jahalal lived at the Bukit Batok Home for the Aged and shared a room with Chua Seng Huat, 80. 

On March 5, 2024, a care worker found Jahalal punching and kicking Chua in the head after becoming upset that his roommate had made noise at night. 

Chua was later examined at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and did not suffer serious injuries.

The violence escalated on November 18, when Jahalal again attacked Chua after being asked to leave a hall. 

He slapped and punched the older man, then stepped on his chest as he lay on the ground, causing injuries to Chua’s left elbow that required him to wear an arm sling.

On August 15, Jahalal threw a mattress from the second floor after becoming unhappy with the food served to him, then went downstairs and set it on fire with a lighter. A staff member put out the fire and alerted the police. 

Weeks later, on September 26, Jahalal slapped a female resident twice and struck a male staff member with a chair. He has been in remand since, The Straits Times reported.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng said Jahalal had shown “a consistent pattern of antisocial and aggressive behaviour” over more than two years at the home, noting that the same victim was targeted twice within eight months. 

“It should be strongly impressed upon the accused that he cannot continue to behave in such a manner should he continue living in a home,” he said.

In mitigation, Jahalal apologised via video link, telling the court: “I apologise for my offence and I hope Your Honour can send me back to the (home) as soon as possible.”