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Sep 12, 2023

Man gets jail, caning after smashing down toilet door to repeatedly punch cowering wife, hit her with various objects

SINGAPORE — Angry during a dispute with his wife, a man broke down the door to the toilet where she had sought refuge and repeatedly punched her and struck her with various objects. The woman suffered

SINGAPORE — Angry during a dispute with his wife, a man broke down the door to the toilet where she had sought refuge and repeatedly punched her and struck her with various objects. The woman suffered multiple injuries such as facial and rib fractures.

SINGAPORE — Angry during a dispute with his wife, a man broke down the door to the toilet where she had sought refuge and repeatedly punched her and struck her with various objects. The woman suffered multiple injuries such as facial and rib fractures.

A few months later, the man again attacked his wife, this time in a car with their three-year-old son in the back seat along with what one witness said was a Samurai sword.

Three other similar offences were taken into consideration for sentencing.

The couple cannot be named in order to protect the identity of the victim.

The court heard that an argument between the pair broke out on Nov 8 in 2020, over their relationship issues.

During the quarrel, the woman scolded her husband using vulgarities and also slapped his face before pushing him away to leave the house.

As she walked away, the man kicked her in the back and when she turned around, he started to punch her on her face and ribs.

The woman tried to use her arms to block the incoming punches but decided to head to the toilet to hide.

Her husband followed her and broke down the toilet door.

He then used a Japanese katana sword cover to hit his wife on the head.

The man continued to hit her head, this time using a plastic stool.

This was when the woman realised that her head was bleeding but her husband did not stop.

The police were called to the scene by a witness to the incident.

The woman visited the emergency department of the National University Hospital the next day where she was found to have sustained multiple injuries.

These included a cut over her scalp, bruises over her face, upper body, arms and thighs, facial fractures, a rib fracture, and a fracture on her right hand.

Though the woman was advised to be admitted for her injuries, she asked to be discharged and did not return.

A few months later, the woman's husband assaulted her again when they were travelling in a car along Springside Road near Upper Thomson with their three-year-old son in the backseat.

The couple were arguing over their relationship when the man parked his car along the road.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Theong Li Han said that as they were arguing, the man threatened to kill his wife by telling her "I will kill you" and "you will surely die", with intent to cause alarm to her.

He then hit her on her head several times before she got out of the car and ran to a nearby park to seek help from a passer-by who helped her to call the police.

On the afternoon of March 2 in 2021, the couple were shopping at Eyewear House along Bishan Place when the man removed a pair of Gucci sunglasses from the shelf to try them.

He then took the sunglasses off and hid them in his baby stroller before leaving the store without paying.

It was only during the evening when optician Chong Kok Chein discovered that the pair of sunglasses was missing.

Mr Chong then checked the closed-circuit television footage and saw that the man had taken them.

The pair of sunglasses was eventually recovered from the man and returned to Mr Chong after a police report was made.

Seeking four years' jail and 12 strokes of the cane, DPP Theong said that though the couple have since repaired their relationship, the man will still need to face the consequences of his behaviour before moving on with his life.

She added that even though he might have been provoked, it does not give him the licence to act out in a way that is disproportionate.

For voluntarily causing grievous hurt, he could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined or caned.

Anyone guilty of criminal intimidation could be jailed for up to seven years or fined, or both.

The offence of theft carries the penalty of jail for up to seven years and a fine.

For having and possessing an offensive weapon, the man could have been jailed for up to three years and received up to six strokes of the cane.

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