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Jail for causing hurt for New Zealander who jumped bail
By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 20 November 2012 1634 hrs
SINGAPORE: A New Zealander who fled Singapore last year while on court bail and who later returned to turn himself in, was sentenced to five months' jail by a district court on Tuesday.
Robert Stephen Dahlberg, 35, pleaded guilty to voluntarily causing hurt to Mr Paul Louis Liew Kai Ming during a brawl at Suntec City in 2010.
Court documents stated that Dahlberg held Mr Liew by his neck, slammed his head against a pillar, and kicked him in the face.
The assault left Mr Liew with a large laceration on his forehead, a fractured nasal bone, and bleeding from his nose.
Another charge of causing hurt by a rash act, where Dahlberg swung his fist and hit Mr Laurence Wong Seong in the head was taken into consideration.
Dahlberg turned himself in to Singapore police on September 6 this year - more than a year after he obtained permission from the courts to go overseas in July 2011. He was supposed to return by 1 August 2011.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Yang Ziliang told the court that by jumping bail, Dahlberg had disrupted the court process and undermined the administration of justice.
His lawyer Wendell Wong said that Dahlberg had committed the offences against Mr Liew in a moment of ill-judgment, and had told investigators that he wanted to reimburse Mr Liew for his medical expenses and apologise to him.
Mr Wong also asked the judge not to impose a harsh sentence on Dahlberg, as Mr Liew's injuries did not require surgery and he was treated as an outpatient.
He added that Dahlberg was remorseful, and had shown himself to be so by returning to Singapore to give himself up to the authorities.
Dahlberg's parents were in court, accompanied by a group of friends.
The judge noted that this was an "unfortunate set of events" and that Dahlberg's involvement appeared to be spontaneous and not pre-meditated.
However, he noted that the facts were clear that Dahlberg had not simply pushed Mr Liew, but kicked him in the face as well.
In passing the sentence, he backdated it to September 7, when Dahlberg was first remanded.
He could have been jailed up up to 10 years, fined or caned.
Two other expatriates - a Briton and an Australian - were also involved in the 2010 brawl.
Australian Nathan Robert Miller, 36, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three weeks' jail in February 2012.
But Briton Robert James Springall, 25, who also fled Singapore after being charged, is still on the run.
- CNA/de
By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 20 November 2012 1634 hrs
SINGAPORE: A New Zealander who fled Singapore last year while on court bail and who later returned to turn himself in, was sentenced to five months' jail by a district court on Tuesday.
Robert Stephen Dahlberg, 35, pleaded guilty to voluntarily causing hurt to Mr Paul Louis Liew Kai Ming during a brawl at Suntec City in 2010.
Court documents stated that Dahlberg held Mr Liew by his neck, slammed his head against a pillar, and kicked him in the face.
The assault left Mr Liew with a large laceration on his forehead, a fractured nasal bone, and bleeding from his nose.
Another charge of causing hurt by a rash act, where Dahlberg swung his fist and hit Mr Laurence Wong Seong in the head was taken into consideration.
Dahlberg turned himself in to Singapore police on September 6 this year - more than a year after he obtained permission from the courts to go overseas in July 2011. He was supposed to return by 1 August 2011.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Yang Ziliang told the court that by jumping bail, Dahlberg had disrupted the court process and undermined the administration of justice.
His lawyer Wendell Wong said that Dahlberg had committed the offences against Mr Liew in a moment of ill-judgment, and had told investigators that he wanted to reimburse Mr Liew for his medical expenses and apologise to him.
Mr Wong also asked the judge not to impose a harsh sentence on Dahlberg, as Mr Liew's injuries did not require surgery and he was treated as an outpatient.
He added that Dahlberg was remorseful, and had shown himself to be so by returning to Singapore to give himself up to the authorities.
Dahlberg's parents were in court, accompanied by a group of friends.
The judge noted that this was an "unfortunate set of events" and that Dahlberg's involvement appeared to be spontaneous and not pre-meditated.
However, he noted that the facts were clear that Dahlberg had not simply pushed Mr Liew, but kicked him in the face as well.
In passing the sentence, he backdated it to September 7, when Dahlberg was first remanded.
He could have been jailed up up to 10 years, fined or caned.
Two other expatriates - a Briton and an Australian - were also involved in the 2010 brawl.
Australian Nathan Robert Miller, 36, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three weeks' jail in February 2012.
But Briton Robert James Springall, 25, who also fled Singapore after being charged, is still on the run.
- CNA/de
anyway, if he has aussie ties, it's fitting for a kangaroo court to give light jumpy sentences to kangaroos. :p
