more kangaroos version

another more detailed version with chia involved (and loving the attention given):

'NOT TOO LATE' TO SAY SORRY: PROSECUTION
Trio found guilty of offending court, refuse to budge

Leong Wee Keat

FOR 15 minutes, they huddled to discuss their options.

The trio had just been found guilty of contempt of court, and faced the possibility of jail.

But offered a possible reprieve, Mr John Tan Liang Joo, 47, Mr Isrizal Mohamed Isa, 33, and Mr Muhammad Shafi'ie Syahmi Sariman, 19, opted not to take it.

"It was not too late" for them to apologise for their actions, the Deputy Solicitor-General told them. It was just two weeks ago that blogger Gopalan Nair escaped a jail sentence after he offered an unreserved apology for his most recent contempt of court offences.

But after the 15-minute adjournment, the trio declined to apologise.

They denied any intention of holding a court in contempt by wearing T-shirts depicting a kangaroo dressed in a judge's robes, and cited various personal beliefs, such as the right to freedom of expression.

They will now be sentenced on Thursday.

In May, they had turned up at the Supreme Court each wearing the T-shirts to show their support for Dr Chee Soon Juan, the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) secretary-general, who was at a hearing for a defamation lawsuit filed against him by the Prime Minister and Minister Mentor.

The Attorney-General then started contempt of court proceedings against the three as their actions were meant to imply that the Court was a "kangaroo court", which is "generally understood as being a court characterised by unauthorised or irregular procedures, or sham and unfair legal proceedings".

Yesterday, Deputy Solicitor-General Jeffrey Chan Wah Teck argued that the trio's allegations were the "worst insult anyone can give" to a judiciary and pressed for jail sentences.

He argued that Mr Tan was more culpable than the other two as he was "obviously a leading player" in this initiative.

Closed-circuit television footage played yesterday showed that Mr Tan, who is also the SDP assistant secretary-general, had distributed the T-shirts inside the courthouse.

Another clip showed the trio wearing the T-shirts and posing for photographs outside the Supreme Court. Media photographers gathered outside snapped pictures of the trio.

Mr Shafi'ie claimed that they were taking photos for "private remembrance", while Mr Tan said that he tried to wave the media away.

But Mr Chan argued that the trio stood there for 26 seconds. If they did not want the media to snap their pictures, they could have walked away.

One photo of the three eventually appeared on the SDP website.

Despite being found guilty of holding the court in contempt, full-time national serviceman Shafi'ie did not want to apologise "due to his personal convictions", said his lawyer Chia Ti Lik.

Justice Judith Prakash, who was presiding, asked Mr Chia if his client knew of the adverse consequences.

"I have submitted as per instructions," replied the lawyer. "It is his personal belief."