SINGAPORE — The former managing director of failed luxury jet operator Zetta Jet has been fined S$4,000 for verbally abusing a police officer who had been called to his home after he got into an altercation with a dinner guest.

Geoffery Owen Cassidy, 30, an American with dual Australian citizenship, had too much to drink on the night of the offence, and was seeking help for his drinking problem, the State Courts heard on Wednesday (June 12).

Cassidy pleaded guilty on May 22 this year to one charge of using abusive words to a public servant.

In court documents, Cassidy was described as unemployed at the time of the offence. He has a Singapore foreigner identification number (FIN). Cassidy has featured in various media reports over his role as former managing director of Zetta Jet, which was placed into bankruptcy protection in 2017. The firm had an office near Seletar airport.

Cassidy was previously embroiled in a lawsuit with some Zetta Jet shareholders who accused him, among other things, of using company funds for personal purchases but he had claimed that the spending was justified because it was done to further the firm's business.

‘GET OUT OF MY HOUSE’

State Prosecuting Officer Mohd Nasri Haron told the court that Cassidy and his girlfriend were holding a dinner party at his home on Aug 19 last year when he got an argument with a guest.

Two police sergeants - a male and a female officer - from the Orchard Neighbourhood Police Centre responded to a call to investigate at around 9.20pm. 

When they had arrived at Cassidy’s apartment, the female officer asked for his identification card (ID). This agitated Cassidy, who told her that his identification card was with an investigation officer from the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD).

It is not stated in the court documents why the CAD was holding on to Cassidy’s ID.

When the female sergeant told Cassidy to calm down, he said: “I (expletive) pay more tax than you ever will, let’s fix the problem and get the (expletive) out of my house.”

She warned him not to be vulgar and proceeded to make a call to the Duty Investigation Officer of Tanglin Police Division to brief him about the case.

While she was on the phone, Cassidy continued and said: “This (expletive) at my house”. She asked Cassidy who he was referring to, but he did not respond. Cassidy ignored the sergeant’s repeated reminders to mind his words and he was eventually arrested.

While he was being escorted to the lift, Cassidy continued his tirade and said: “This (expletive referring to the police officer) is on (expletive) fire.”

In pleading for a lighter sentence, Cassidy told District Judge Victor Yeo Khee Eng that he was drunk on his own property.

He also acknowledged his mistakes and said that he was seeking treatment for his drinking problem.

The judge said: “I found the abusive words uttered by the accused to be most offensive. Furthermore, the accused persisted in using those words in an aggressive manner despite being repeatedly warned not to do so.”

He added that being intoxicated is not a mitigating factor, but in fact, an aggravating one.

“It is that much harder to reason with someone who is intoxicated,” the judge said.

He also noted that the incident happened within the privacy of Cassidy’s home.

“To that extent, his aggressive behaviour towards the female officer was confined to the said location,” said the judge. 

Had it happened in a public place, the judge said it would have “severely undermined” the authority of the officers.

Cassidy could have been fined up to S$5,000 and/or jailed for a maximum of 12 months for being verbally abusive to a public servant.

“As a guest of this country, you should learn to respect the authority of the officers,” the judge said.