Elderly woman granted protection order against husband after 50 years of physical, verbal abuse

In a 50-year marriage, a woman has recently been granted a personal protection order against her husband after enduring years of physical and verbal abuse. Court documents reveal that he struck her with a walking stick, punched her in the eye, and verbally assaulted her. The wife also testified that her husband would throw and smash objects around their shared flat when angry.

They have two daughters, but one tragically passed away. However, the couple's exact ages remain undisclosed in the court documents. The wife filed multiple petitions, including a personal protection order, a no-contact order, and a domestic exclusion order, which prohibits him from entering her bedroom. The magistrate granted all these orders and mandated the couple to undergo counseling.

The magistrate, Magistrate Soh Kian Peng, noted the lack of documentary evidence at the trial, mentioning that the only available papers were the wife's statement and police case cards. It wasn't specified if the husband was ever arrested or charged for his abusive behavior.

Over 20 years ago, his wife recounted an incident where he punched her in the eye while she was working as a supermarket cashier. This testimony was corroborated by her grandson, who saw his grandfather hitting and scolding her. The magistrate acknowledged the grandson's statement, noting how the abuse had impacted the wife, who would often cry quietly in solitude.

Despite initially admitting to punching his wife, the husband later denied any abuse. The magistrate, however, accepted the wife's account over the husband's, emphasizing the tone and manner in which she testified. She appeared weary, indicating that her tolerance for the abuse had reached its limit.

A significant risk factor identified by the magistrate was the husband's personality traits—either his incapability or unwillingness to consider the impact of his words and actions on those closest to him. The magistrate cited an incident where, 13 years ago, the husband drove their youngest daughter to commit suicide by chasing her out of the house, leaving her with nowhere to turn.

The wife mentioned that her husband refused to attend when they were notified to collect their daughter's body. The husband found amusement in this testimony when asked about it, but denied responsibility for his daughter's suicide.

The magistrate concluded that the husband's inability to comprehend the effects of his words and actions on others, coupled with the wife's history of abuse, increased the risk of future family violence.