Man gets 10 months' jail after turning himself in following drunken brawl on bus
A photo of SBS bus service 63.
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- Tan Kuo Chieh, 49, was sentenced to 10 months' jail on Thursday (March 14)
- Tan, who was drunk, intervened when a drunken man got into a verbal argument with a passenger on a bus
- The man then got into an argument with Tan, and Tan punched him several times and kneed him in the face
- After the assault, Tan walked to Police Cantonment Complex to turn himself in
By
Loraine Lee
Published March 14, 2024
Updated March 14, 2024
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SINGAPORE — Tan Kuo Chieh tried to prevent a drunk man from continuing his argument with another passenger on National Day last year but ended up in a fight himself.
After exchanging words with the drunk man, the 49-year-old punched the victim several times in the head, and also kneed the man's face.
Tan left before the police arrived at the scene, only to turn himself in at the Police Cantonment Complex about 650m away.
On Thursday (March 14), Tanpleaded guilty to voluntarily causing grievous hurt and was sentenced to 10 months' jail.
WHAT HAPPENED
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Jotham Tay told the court that on Aug 9, 2023 at about 12.52am, the victim, 38-year-old Tang Ru Ji boarded SBS bus service number 63 along Geylang Road.While on the bus, Mr Tang, who was intoxicated, got into a verbal dispute with another passenger.
As the bus pulled into a bus stop along New Bridge Road, Mr Tang told the driver to stop the bus.
As the other passenger alighted the bus, Mr Tang continued yelling at him from the bus while standing near the front door.
At that time, Tan, who was also drunk, was at the bus stop.
Mr Tang tried to leave the bus to continue confronting the passenger but Tan blocked his way and the two then got into an argument.
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Closed-circuit television camera footage taken in the bus showed Mr Tang sitting on the reserved seats in the bus while Tan is seen shouting and gesturing wildly near the front door.
Mr Tang then stands up and Tan approaches him.
"The bus driver got between the two, tried to calm them down, and ushered the accused away once more," said DPP Tay.
A short while later, Mr Tang then shouted at Tan.
Tan then started punching Mr Tang in the face, and Mr Tang was forced back to his seat.
While Mr Tang was slumped over in the seat, Tan kneed and punched him in the face.
During the assault — which lasted more than 20 seconds — the bus driver called the police.
When the police arrived, Tan had already left the scene. Court documents did not state what time the police arrived.
DPP Tay said Tan walked to the Police Cantonment Complex — about 650m away — and told the police he had assaulted someone before surrendering himself.
As a result of the assault, Mr Tang suffered bruises and a broken nose. He was given 10 days of medical leave.
VIOLENT REACTION NOT JUSTIFIED
DPP Tay called for a sentence of 10 to 12 months' jail, noting that this was a one-sided attack as Mr Tang did not retaliate.ADVERTISEMENT
"Even when (Mr Tang) was slumped over, the accused continued assaulting him on his face, which was a vulnerable part of the body," said the prosecutor.
Tan's lawyer, Mr Teo Choo Kee of CK Teo & Co, told the court that Tan had to his credit immediately left the bus to surrender himself as he realised his actions were wrong.
The lawyer added that Tan had been provoked by Mr Tang, who had directed offensive words towards Tan.
Mr Teo asked for a sentence of eight to nine months' jail.
District Judge Lim Tse Haw said that although Mr Tang had provoked Tan, this "does not justify the violent reaction from the accused".
However, he acknowledged that Tan had surrendered himself the same night, had no violence-related crimes previously and had pleaded guilty early on.
For voluntarily causing grievous hurt, Tan faced up to 10 years' jail, and fine or caning.
