SINGAPORE: A long-standing dispute over bicycle parking between two neighbours led one of them to pour bleach outside the other's flat.
Ng Seoh Hui, a 62-year-old Singaporean, was sentenced to 14 weeks and 19 days' jail on Thursday (May 14). When prison sentences imposed include weeks, CNA reports the sentences as spelt out by the court as months vary in length.
At the time of her offences, Ng was suffering from major depressive disorder, the court heard.
Ng pleaded guilty to eight charges, including three counts of committing rash conduct with a harmful substance to cause hurt or injury to another person, one count of voluntarily causing hurt using a harmful substance
Another 13 charges were taken into consideration.
Ng was also ordered to pay compensation of S$342 (US$269) for medical expenses incurred by the victim.
The dispute between Ng and her neighbour, a 47-year-old woman, dates back to 2022. The latter lived directly opposite the accused. The neighbour's name and the pair's residence were redacted from court documents.
The victim, who had been living at the residence for five years, bought two bicycles and placed them at the lift lobby, where other neighbours had similarly parked their bicycles. She also grew plants at the lift lobby, with other residents following suit.
These actions prompted complaints from their town council.
In May 2022, the victim found that someone had poured bleach on her plants and she confronted Ng's daughter, stating that they could have just notified her instead.
This incident led to further disputes between the parties. At times, Ng would play loud music, necessitating police reports, the court papers read.
Beginning in December 2023, Ng hurled profanities at the victim's family for about two years. She once also poured an unknown liquid onto the victim's smart door camera, which caused the latter's marble flooring to discolour.
In mid-July 2025, the victim had parked her bicycle outside her unit. This angered Ng, who poured curry near a rubbish chute area, which subsequently caused an ant infestation outside the victim's flat.
The victim later moved her bicycle to the lift lobby area, where other bicycles were parked. Ng then complained to the town council, requesting that they be removed.
The town council followed up on this by pasting a notice directing the removal of the bicycles. The victim called the town council and said the bicycles did not obstruct access to the lift or staircase, and were positioned at 1.2m from the lift - the minimum clear space required along common corridors.
The town council subsequently removed the notice. But Ng believed it was the victim who did so and got angry.
From then on, Ng repeatedly threatened to pour bleach outside the victim's unit if she did not remove the bicycle. On Jul 27, 2025, the victim detected the smell of bleach inside her flat and opened the door to find the corridor wet.
Closed-circuit television footage confirmed that Ng had poured the bleach. She repeated the act multiple times over the next few days.
On Aug 1, 2025, the victim lodged a police report. Three police officers were dispatched and they spoke to the accused, who admitted to her actions.
She stated: "Since the government didn't do anything, so I take matters into my own hands." Ng also told them she would continue pouring bleach until the victim removed her bicycles.
She was arrested thereafter. During the arrest, Ng kicked one of the officers twice, once when she was being handcuffed and another time when the officer attempted to pry the house keys Ng was holding out of her hand.
Ng also repeatedly shouted "all the police are idiots” and "you all idiots" towards the police officers.
She was produced in court the day after her arrest and was ordered to be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for a medical examination of two weeks. She was later released on bail on Aug 15, 2025.
But Ng continued her actions towards her neighbour.
On Feb 24, 2026, the victim was returning home with her daughter, who was nine at that time. She attempted to enter her flat discreetly so as to not attract Ng's attention, but to no avail.
Ng started spraying insecticide in the direction of the victim and her daughter, but did not speak to them during the incident. The victim was very alarmed by Ng's actions.
Two days later, Ng sprayed insecticide at them again as the pair walked past her flat. The victim shouted at Ng in Mandarin to stop spraying, but the accused came out of her house and continued spraying.
The victim then flung her daughter's file at the accused, which caused some notes to fall onto the floor. The victim returned to her flat and waited until Ng had gone back to her flat to retrieve her daughter's notes.
But Ng came out and kicked the notes before going back to her house. The victim's husband also attempted to retrieve the notes, but Ng came out again, this time with two cans of insecticide.
The victim's husband called the police, who activated an ambulance. The victim reported symptoms such as headache, watery eyes with irritation and a tingling sensation in her throat, while her daughter had eye irritation and mild facial redness.
Both were diagnosed with mild insecticide exposure and discharged with one day of medical leave.
Ng was arrested on Mar 1, 2026, and no bail was offered to her.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Adelle Tai sought at least two months and eight to 10 weeks' imprisonment with three additional short custodial sentences.
She acknowledged that Ng suffered from major depressive disorder, which the accused's psychiatrist said bears a contributory link to the offences, and impaired her capacity for self-control and restraint.
Ng's defence lawyer, Mr Rohit Kumar Singh from Regal Law, asked that the court view the case through the lens of his client's condition. He said in the mitigation plea that Ng was feeling remorseful and had pleaded guilty very quickly.
In sentencing, District Judge Cheng Yuxi said she was cognisant of the accused's condition, but noted that Ng had caused alarm to her neighbour and her daughter, and continued to offend even while on bail.
In Singapore, where neighbours live in close proximity, there are solutions to resolve disputes, said Judge Cheng. "Taking matters into your hands is not one of such solutions."
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Ng Seoh Hui, a 62-year-old Singaporean, was sentenced to 14 weeks and 19 days' jail on Thursday (May 14). When prison sentences imposed include weeks, CNA reports the sentences as spelt out by the court as months vary in length.
At the time of her offences, Ng was suffering from major depressive disorder, the court heard.
Ng pleaded guilty to eight charges, including three counts of committing rash conduct with a harmful substance to cause hurt or injury to another person, one count of voluntarily causing hurt using a harmful substance
Another 13 charges were taken into consideration.
Ng was also ordered to pay compensation of S$342 (US$269) for medical expenses incurred by the victim.
WHAT HAPPENED
The dispute between Ng and her neighbour, a 47-year-old woman, dates back to 2022. The latter lived directly opposite the accused. The neighbour's name and the pair's residence were redacted from court documents.
The victim, who had been living at the residence for five years, bought two bicycles and placed them at the lift lobby, where other neighbours had similarly parked their bicycles. She also grew plants at the lift lobby, with other residents following suit.
These actions prompted complaints from their town council.
In May 2022, the victim found that someone had poured bleach on her plants and she confronted Ng's daughter, stating that they could have just notified her instead.
This incident led to further disputes between the parties. At times, Ng would play loud music, necessitating police reports, the court papers read.
Beginning in December 2023, Ng hurled profanities at the victim's family for about two years. She once also poured an unknown liquid onto the victim's smart door camera, which caused the latter's marble flooring to discolour.
In mid-July 2025, the victim had parked her bicycle outside her unit. This angered Ng, who poured curry near a rubbish chute area, which subsequently caused an ant infestation outside the victim's flat.
The victim later moved her bicycle to the lift lobby area, where other bicycles were parked. Ng then complained to the town council, requesting that they be removed.
The town council followed up on this by pasting a notice directing the removal of the bicycles. The victim called the town council and said the bicycles did not obstruct access to the lift or staircase, and were positioned at 1.2m from the lift - the minimum clear space required along common corridors.
The town council subsequently removed the notice. But Ng believed it was the victim who did so and got angry.
From then on, Ng repeatedly threatened to pour bleach outside the victim's unit if she did not remove the bicycle. On Jul 27, 2025, the victim detected the smell of bleach inside her flat and opened the door to find the corridor wet.
Closed-circuit television footage confirmed that Ng had poured the bleach. She repeated the act multiple times over the next few days.
On Aug 1, 2025, the victim lodged a police report. Three police officers were dispatched and they spoke to the accused, who admitted to her actions.
She stated: "Since the government didn't do anything, so I take matters into my own hands." Ng also told them she would continue pouring bleach until the victim removed her bicycles.
She was arrested thereafter. During the arrest, Ng kicked one of the officers twice, once when she was being handcuffed and another time when the officer attempted to pry the house keys Ng was holding out of her hand.
Ng also repeatedly shouted "all the police are idiots” and "you all idiots" towards the police officers.
She was produced in court the day after her arrest and was ordered to be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for a medical examination of two weeks. She was later released on bail on Aug 15, 2025.
Deep Dive - Living next door to conflict: Finding a way out of neighbour disputes
OFFENCES WHILE ON BAIL
But Ng continued her actions towards her neighbour.
On Feb 24, 2026, the victim was returning home with her daughter, who was nine at that time. She attempted to enter her flat discreetly so as to not attract Ng's attention, but to no avail.
Ng started spraying insecticide in the direction of the victim and her daughter, but did not speak to them during the incident. The victim was very alarmed by Ng's actions.
Two days later, Ng sprayed insecticide at them again as the pair walked past her flat. The victim shouted at Ng in Mandarin to stop spraying, but the accused came out of her house and continued spraying.
The victim then flung her daughter's file at the accused, which caused some notes to fall onto the floor. The victim returned to her flat and waited until Ng had gone back to her flat to retrieve her daughter's notes.
But Ng came out and kicked the notes before going back to her house. The victim's husband also attempted to retrieve the notes, but Ng came out again, this time with two cans of insecticide.
The victim's husband called the police, who activated an ambulance. The victim reported symptoms such as headache, watery eyes with irritation and a tingling sensation in her throat, while her daughter had eye irritation and mild facial redness.
Both were diagnosed with mild insecticide exposure and discharged with one day of medical leave.
Ng was arrested on Mar 1, 2026, and no bail was offered to her.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Adelle Tai sought at least two months and eight to 10 weeks' imprisonment with three additional short custodial sentences.
She acknowledged that Ng suffered from major depressive disorder, which the accused's psychiatrist said bears a contributory link to the offences, and impaired her capacity for self-control and restraint.
Ng's defence lawyer, Mr Rohit Kumar Singh from Regal Law, asked that the court view the case through the lens of his client's condition. He said in the mitigation plea that Ng was feeling remorseful and had pleaded guilty very quickly.
In sentencing, District Judge Cheng Yuxi said she was cognisant of the accused's condition, but noted that Ng had caused alarm to her neighbour and her daughter, and continued to offend even while on bail.
In Singapore, where neighbours live in close proximity, there are solutions to resolve disputes, said Judge Cheng. "Taking matters into your hands is not one of such solutions."
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