SINGAPORE: A motorcyclist who bit off part of a man's ear in a road rage incident on an expressway shoulder was sentenced to 20 months' jail and three strokes of the cane on Thursday (Mar 12).
Ronald Koh, a 36-year-old Singaporean, will also be disqualified from holding or obtaining any driving licence for 12 months when he is released.
Koh had contested two charges for biting off part of Mr Fabian Quak Wei Quan's ear and for hitting Mr Quak Beng Gim's back and stepping on his foot.
The offences took place on the left road shoulder of the Pan Island Expressway towards Changi after the Sims Way exit at about 2pm on Feb 26, 2024.
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Mr Quak Beng Gim had been driving with his son in the front passenger seat when he said Koh signalled them to stop.
All parties pulled over on the road shoulder, where Koh scuffled with Mr Fabian, who is in his 20s.
Mr Fabian then told his father that Koh had bitten his ear and they searched for the piece of ear that was on the road, the court heard.
At trial, Koh represented himself and charged that the two men were lying and had instead attacked him.
He said he could not have bitten off the younger Quak's ear, and suggested the older Quak might have done that instead.
On Thursday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Dillon Kok sought two years' jail, three strokes of the cane and 12 months' disqualification from driving.
He said the injury sustained by Mr Fabian was very serious, and he had to undergo surgery to replant part of his ear.
Despite this, there was a 50 to 60 per cent loss of the piece of amputated ear, resulting in permanent cosmetic disfiguration.
Mr Kok said Koh faces four other charges that arose over three more road rage incidents.
When Koh was asked to give his mitigation, he repeated things he had said at trial - saying he was just doing his delivery job and that the Quaks were "a danger to my path".
He also invoked his right to private defence, to which the judge told him the court had already rejected that defence.
Koh also said he wanted a retrial, because the Quaks allegedly submitted lies to the court.
He said the injuries were "their own doing" and that there was no proof he had caused them.
In sentencing, District Judge Lim Tse Haw said that broken bones can heal, but Mr Fabian had a piece of his left ear measuring 3.5cm by 1.5cm bitten off.
He said that even though the piece of ear was reattached, the consequential cosmetic disfiguration was permanent, as the court observed when Fabian was giving his evidence.
"He continues to experience intermittent pain around his left ear and loss of sensation in the reattached part of his ear," said Judge Lim.
Adding that the act was "particularly vicious and barbaric", he agreed that caning was appropriate in this case.
He also noted that at the time of the offence, Koh was already under investigation for a separate road rage incident also involving causing hurt.
He imposed a driving ban for the protection of other road users.
For causing grievous hurt, Koh could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined or caned.
For voluntarily causing hurt, Koh could have been jailed for up to three years, fined up to S$5,000, or both.
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Ronald Koh, a 36-year-old Singaporean, will also be disqualified from holding or obtaining any driving licence for 12 months when he is released.
Koh had contested two charges for biting off part of Mr Fabian Quak Wei Quan's ear and for hitting Mr Quak Beng Gim's back and stepping on his foot.
The offences took place on the left road shoulder of the Pan Island Expressway towards Changi after the Sims Way exit at about 2pm on Feb 26, 2024.
CNA Games
Show More Show Less
Mr Quak Beng Gim had been driving with his son in the front passenger seat when he said Koh signalled them to stop.
All parties pulled over on the road shoulder, where Koh scuffled with Mr Fabian, who is in his 20s.
Mr Fabian then told his father that Koh had bitten his ear and they searched for the piece of ear that was on the road, the court heard.
At trial, Koh represented himself and charged that the two men were lying and had instead attacked him.
He said he could not have bitten off the younger Quak's ear, and suggested the older Quak might have done that instead.
On Thursday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Dillon Kok sought two years' jail, three strokes of the cane and 12 months' disqualification from driving.
He said the injury sustained by Mr Fabian was very serious, and he had to undergo surgery to replant part of his ear.
PERMANENT DISFIGURATION: DPP
Despite this, there was a 50 to 60 per cent loss of the piece of amputated ear, resulting in permanent cosmetic disfiguration.
Mr Kok said Koh faces four other charges that arose over three more road rage incidents.
When Koh was asked to give his mitigation, he repeated things he had said at trial - saying he was just doing his delivery job and that the Quaks were "a danger to my path".
He also invoked his right to private defence, to which the judge told him the court had already rejected that defence.
Koh also said he wanted a retrial, because the Quaks allegedly submitted lies to the court.
He said the injuries were "their own doing" and that there was no proof he had caused them.
In sentencing, District Judge Lim Tse Haw said that broken bones can heal, but Mr Fabian had a piece of his left ear measuring 3.5cm by 1.5cm bitten off.
He said that even though the piece of ear was reattached, the consequential cosmetic disfiguration was permanent, as the court observed when Fabian was giving his evidence.
"He continues to experience intermittent pain around his left ear and loss of sensation in the reattached part of his ear," said Judge Lim.
Adding that the act was "particularly vicious and barbaric", he agreed that caning was appropriate in this case.
He also noted that at the time of the offence, Koh was already under investigation for a separate road rage incident also involving causing hurt.
He imposed a driving ban for the protection of other road users.
For causing grievous hurt, Koh could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined or caned.
For voluntarily causing hurt, Koh could have been jailed for up to three years, fined up to S$5,000, or both.
Continue reading...