Story By: James King, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
A British man has been locked up in a psychiatric Institute after refusing to wear a mask in Singapore and claiming that as a British citizen the rules did not apply to him.
Benjamin Glynn, 39, initially came to the attention of authorities after was spotted on a tube train without a mask in May. He was arrested and then when he first appeared in court again refused to wear a mask.
The Brit who had been working for a recruitment company since January 2017 was then brought into court again this week where he said that the entire court proceedings were “ridiculous” and that as a British sovereign citizen, the local rules did not apply to him.

The court heard that on the underground he had cause inconvenience to others and also threatened police officers when they went to his residence. He was later seen in a viral video saying: “I will never wear a mask”. He also refused to take it when another commuter handed him a mask.
In the end, the judge decided to remand him to a mental health Institute where he will be held until the middle of the month.
The British man, originally from Yorkshire, was cheered from the public gallery as he defiantly refused to accept the court’s jurisdiction in forcing him to wear a mask.

The prosecutor said that lockdown had changed the British man according to interviews with his friends and family, and pointed to his behaviour in court as an example of what he meant.
That caused the British man to reply: “My mind is crystal clear. I’m wide awake. I’m enlightened. Just because I refuse to be a slave, you accuse me of being a lunatic.”
He also refused to plead to the charges of harassment, causing a public nuisance, breaching the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act and also a further offence near the the court building.

As well as refusing to plead, he demanded his passport be returned so that he could fly back home to Britain to see his family. He is married with two children.
The original incident occurred on 7 May, and he claims he was arrested when his family was sleeping a day later. His family later returned to his home in Leeds on 31st of May.
He said that since this started, he had lost his job as his company had originally intended to transfer him back to the UK but then scrapped the offer.

In a previous interview, he said: “It’s a horrible situation to be in when I don’t know when I can next see my family.
“Especially when I don’t even believe masks stop the spread of the virus in the first place.
“I honestly believe it’s a hoax – I don’t feel there is any evidence to show mask-wearing is effective in any way.

“From a scientific basis, I think it’s nonsense, but now all I can do is wait.”