May 5, 2010
Cabby jailed 4 months
<!-- by line --> By Khushwant Singh
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<!-- end left side bar --> <!-- story content : start --> A TAXI driver, who got into a dispute with a passenger over his speeding during the trip, ended up biting off a piece of the commuter's ear. Lau Kok Chiew was on Wednesday jailed four months by a district court for hurting Mr Vincent Chow Kok Weng. The cabby was also fined $1,000 for speeding. Lau, 49, had pleaded guilty last month. During the hearing then, the court heard that Mr Chow, his wife and two children, boarded the taxi at the Changi Airport Budget Terminal at about 3.50am on June 20, 2008, after a flight from Vietnam.
During the journey, the taxi was speeding at 140 kmh in a 90kmp zone but Mr Chow kept mum. He only complained after arriving at the destination at Bayshore Park. A quarrel ensued. Mr Chow called the police and demanded that the cabby remain there until they arrive. Lau refused and Mr Chow grabbed the car key from the ignition. The cabby then used his spare key but Mr Chow jumped into the backseat as the taxi pulled away. Along Tampines Avenue 10, Lau stopped his taxi and both men got down and went for each other. In the scuffle, Lau bit off a 3cm strip from the upper rim of Mr Chow's left ear.