Man who took part in Yio Chu Kang assault on cabbie jailed 5 weeks
A 25-year-old car rental shop worker who participated in a group attack on a taxi driver in Yio Chu Kang was handed a five-week jail sentence on Tuesday (25 April) in the State Courts.
Dickson Goh Teck Long pleaded guilty to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt for kicking 48-year-old taxi driver Choo Beng Heng in the back several times.
Goh was part of a trio who attacked Choo on 9 June 2016. The other two accused are interior designer Ho Chee Kwang, 30, and student Jason Ang Li Jie, 21. Both have not been sentenced in court.
Around midnight on the day of the incident, Choo drove his taxi along a one-way lane at Serangoon Gardens. Ho, who was in his white Honda Civic car parked along the lane, almost hit Choo’s taxi when he suddenly opened the car door. This led to a quarrel between Ho and Choo.
Following the exchange, Choo was driving out of Serangoon Gardens along Yio Chu Kang Road when he noticed Ho’s car following closely behind.
Choo pulled up alongside the road, exited his taxi and walked towards Ho, who had also stepped out of his vehicle. Without warning, Ho began punching Choo’s face repeatedly with both his hands. Goh and Ang joined in the assault and Goh kicked Choo’s back a few times.
When Choo called for assistance, the trio fled.
‘Brute violence’
Choo suffered injuries to his face and body during the attack, which included fractures and swelling. He was hospitalised for two days and given three weeks of outpatient leave.
The prosecution, represented by Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Chong Kee En, described the attack as “brute violence”.
He said that even though Goh did not cause the severe injuries, the accused had attacked the victim when he was vulnerable. The victim was “totally defenceless”, added DPP Chong.
Goh’s lawyer Mervyn Tan said in mitigation that it was Goh’s “first brush with the law” and that Goh was not the main perpetrator in the case. He added that the situation had “escalated out of control”.
Tan said his client has realised he acted “foolishly”, adding that his actions took place “in a moment of indiscretion”.
District Judge Low Wee Ping, in meting out the sentence, noted that instead of stopping his friend, Goh had joined in.
For voluntarily causing hurt, Goh could have been jailed up to two years and/or a fine of $5,000.
