Singapore will deport a British man who was jailed for repeatedly breaking COVID-19 protocols.

Benjamin Glynn, 40, was jailed for six weeks on Wednesday, but was released on Thursday, due to the time he had already spent in detention since mid-July, including two weeks in a mental health institution, reported Reuters.

He was found guilty on four charges of failing to wear a mask on a train in May, and at a subsequent court appearance in July.

Glynn was also accused of causing public nuisance and threatening two police officers.

According to the Singapore Prison Service (SPS), the country's immigration authority was making arrangements for his deportation.

In May, a video of Glynn telling commuters on a train that he would "never wear a mask" went viral.

When police officers went to his place to investigate, Glynn also reportedly told them that he believed that COVID-19 was a hoax and that "vaccines were bad for human health."

When the officers moved in to arrest him, the man also reportedly took on a boxer's stance, and threatened to "drop them."

Glynn was still defiant after being charged, reportedly telling the court that Singaporean laws do not apply to him, and that he had "no contract" to wear a mask. He was even caught not wearing a mask in the vicinity of the court house.

Singapore has strict rules against COVID-19 rule flouters, and that has contributed to the city-state keeping the outbtreak under control.

Anyone who fails to wear a mask without reasonable excuse can be fined up to S$10,000 (RM31,000) or jailed up to six months, or both, upon conviction, while repeat offenders can face double the fine or prison term.

The country has reported just over 66,000 COVID-19 cases, and 46 deaths, since the pandemic broke last year.


Source: Reuters
Photo source: AP News, straitstimes.com