Elderly man stabbed in left ear with scissors over debt owed to attacker’s uncle
SINGAPORE — Angry over money owed to his uncle, he confronted an elderly man at a coffee shop and stabbed him in the ear numerous times with a pair of scissors.
The victim, 62-year-old Tan Seh Kiat, ended up needing 12 stitches on his left ear.
Ang Thiam Soon, 48, was given one year’s jail on Thursday (29 August) after he admitted to one count of voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon to Tan. He appeared in court via video call to plead guilty.
On 21 June, at about 8.20pm, Tan had just bought a bowl of laksa at a hawker centre at Block 75 Lorong 5 Toa Payoh and was walking towards his seat.
As he carried his laksa, Ang approached and confronted him about the debt. When Tan tried to walk away, the enraged Ang swiped at his hands, causing the bowl of laksa to flip and fall to the ground.
Ang then took out a pair of scissors from his waist pouch and began stabbing Tan on his left ear. Tan fled to the opposite block’s void deck where he fell. Following him, Ang continued striking at Tan on his ear before leaving the scene.
Tan was treated at Tan Tock Seng Hospital for his injuries, among which was a laceration in his left ear with exposed cartilage. He required 12 stitches to his ear and was given three days of medical leave.
Ang was arrested and he admitted to the offence.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Sanjiv Vaswani described the attack as “brazen” and “unprovoked”. It had taken place at a hawker centre in the view of young children and elderly people, said the prosecution.
Speaking through an interpreter, Ang said he was close to the uncle whom Tan owed money too.
“(I) could not bear to see (my uncle) duped of his money that was why I wanted to stand up for him,” said Ang.
For voluntarily causing hurt with a weapon, Ang could have been jailed up to seven years, or fined, or caned, or a combination of the punishments.
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