Man fined after throwing eggs into neighbour's house and punching him over cigarette smoke
SINGAPORE — Unhappy over cigarette smoke that had drifted into his unit, a man attacked a neighbour after throwing eggs into the victim’s house.
Teoh Yee Leong, 39, was fined $4,500 on Thursday (23 July) after he pleaded guilty to one count of voluntarily causing hurt, with one count of intending to cause harassment to his neighbours, who were a couple, by throwing eggs into their house considered for sentencing.
In court, Teoh, who lived above the couple’s unit, complained that his neighbours had been inviting big groups of friends to drink beer and smoke at their house until he snapped.
On 24 May last year, at about 11.35pm, the couple were at home when Teoh showed up at their house. He began to shout and the male victim opened the gate to talk to him. Teoh had been unhappy about the cigarette smoke from the victim’s house, according to Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicholas Lim.
During the exchange, Teoh became aggressive and threw a punch at the man’s face, causing him to bleed.
The victim later sought medical attention at Sengkang General Hospital. He suffered a 4cm-laceration over his lip and incurred a medical bill of $708.74. Teoh has since fully compensated him.
During mitigation, Teoh told the court that he had only intended to tell his neighbours how the smoke was affecting his family. He had even sent his daughter to speak to his neighbours but she was rebuffed.
“Every week they have a big group of friends drinking beer and smoking at their house which I endured until that day I cannot take it,” said Teoh.
“After I threw the egg I was very chill and cool, I had no intention to hurt everyone,” said Teoh, adding that he had lost his cool and regretted his actions.
Asked by District Judge May Mesenas what he was going to do about his neighbours, as they still are staying in the same house, Teoh said that he had spoken to the investigating officer, the police and lawyers who said that there was nothing much he could do.
“I can only endure…or close the window” said Teoh, who added that his neighbours have not been able to have a big gathering due to the COVID-19 restrictions on social gatherings.
For voluntarily causing hurt, Teoh could have been jailed up to two years, fined up to $5,000, or both.
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