Man admits biting off tip of fellow construction worker's finger after accusing him of sleeping around
File photo of a pinky.
SINGAPORE: A construction worker bit off the tip of a colleague's pinky finger after drunkenly accusing him of sleeping with other workers in their dormitory.
Indian national Logan Govindaraj, 31, pleaded guilty on Wednesday (Nov 24) to one count of voluntarily causing grievous hurt.
The court heard that Logan and the victim, a 42-year-old man, were construction workers staying at a foreign worker dormitory at Kranji Crescent.
On Dec 6, 2020, the victim was in a parked lorry with a friend when Logan joined them. He had consumed at least three cans of beer and was intoxicated.
While in the lorry, Logan began scolding the victim and making false allegations about him. He said the victim was sleeping with other workers in the dorm.
The victim told Logan not to state these lies, but Logan continued. The victim then opened the lorry door and asked Logan to leave, before following soon after as he wanted to stay away from him.
Logan, who was drunk and shouting, stood in front of the victim. The victim raised a hand to push him away, positioning his hand near Logan's mouth.
Logan bit down on his left pinky finger, which started bleeding profusely. The victim retaliated briefly, said the prosecutor, by slapping Logan's hand and grabbing his shirt.
The victim soon realised that a portion of his pinky finger was missing and ran off to wash his hand. He asked his colleagues to call an ambulance, and was later taken to hospital.
The severed portion of the finger was found near the incident location, but doctors were unable to reattach it to the rest of the victim's pinky finger.Â
The victim underwent surgical procedures and hand occupational therapy and was given hospitalisation leave.
Mitigation and sentencing were adjourned as both sides have contentions over the extent that the victim was affected by the injury.
Logan will return to court in December.
For voluntarily causing grievous hurt, he could be jailed up to 10 years and fined or caned.
