A 15-year-old boy in Singapore has been sentenced to two years at the Singapore Boys’ Home following a series of offences, including assault, harassment of police, vaping, and shop theft. The case came to light on May 1 when his mother called authorities after he was behaving erratically and vaping.
During police intervention, the boy verbally abused officers and resisted paramedic assistance despite visible injuries. Investigations revealed that earlier incidents involved him and a friend assaulting another boy over a dispute involving vapes laced with etomidate (Kpods), causing injuries including a nasal fracture and bleeding.
He also committed multiple shop thefts in 2023 and 2024, stealing items ranging from chocolates and perfume to gaming accessories. In another violent episode, he and friends attacked a 13-year-old boy, leaving him unconscious and injured.
District Judge Amy Tung highlighted the boy’s lack of parental supervision—his father is in prison and his parents are divorced—and determined that probation was unsuitable. The court noted that juvenile rehabilitation under professional supervision would better address his behaviour.
Singapore recently increased penalties for underage vaping and Kpod abuse. First-time offenders face mandatory rehabilitation, second-time users are placed under six months of supervision with drug testing, and repeat offenders may be detained for a year with drug testing and rehabilitation.
The judge stressed that strong familial support is crucial for rehabilitation, which the boy currently lacks, making the boys’ home the best option for his rehabilitation.
