Man jailed for slashing ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend with a chopper
Photo illustration of a man holding a knife. (File photo: AFP)
SINGAPORE: Angered that his ex-girlfriend brought her new boyfriend to the flat the former couple shared, a man attacked his rival with a chopper, saying in Cantonese: "Snatch my girlfriend, chop you to death."
In the scuffle, he wounded his ex-girlfriend's sister as well when she tried to step in to stop the assault.
Malaysian and Singapore permanent resident Cheng Hui Sang, 39, was given a year's jail on Friday (Mar 5) for his crimes.
He pleaded guilty to a charge each of voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a chopper and voluntarily causing hurt with the same weapon. A third charge of criminal intimidation was considered in sentencing.
The court heard that Cheng dated a 36-year-old Malaysian woman and stayed with her in the same room in a flat in Ang Mo Kio.
The woman broke up with Cheng in November 2018, but they continued staying together in the same flat. However, she began sharing a room with her sister instead.
HIS EX BROUGHT BACK HER NEW BOYFRIEND
In the early hours of Aug 28, 2020, Cheng's ex-girlfriend brought her new boyfriend - a 36-year-old Malaysian - to the flat.
He slept in the room with the two sisters until about 5am. Cheng's ex-girlfriend left the room to fetch her boyfriend's slippers, but the sound woke Cheng, who saw her placing the footwear near the main door.
Suspecting that she had brought a man home, Cheng grew angry and drank a can of beer, before throwing the victim's slippers into the washing machine.
After downing a second beer, Cheng grabbed a chopper from the sink and placed it on the living room sofa.
When his ex-girlfriend came out of her room, Cheng confronted her and they began quarrelling.
When the woman tried returning to her room, Cheng stopped her while holding the chopper, before rushing into the room.
He began shouting at the woman's new boyfriend and slashing his upper body with the weapon in the dark. When the woman's sister woke up and saw the ongoing attack, she tried to push the two men apart.
Cheng continued his onslaught, despite knowing his ex-girlfriend's sister was in front of him. He did not stop despite the women's pleas, and only relented when he was restrained.
The ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend were taken to the hospital. The man suffered lacerations on his palms and head as well as scratches on his arm.
The sister of Cheng's ex-girlfriend sustained a long and deep 6cm laceration exposing the muscle of her forearm. She was given 42 days of hospitalisation leave.
The prosecutor asked for at least a year's jail, while the defence requested probation, pointing to Cheng's adjustment disorder.
The judge said probation was inappropriate as Cheng is an adult offender who has not demonstrated an extremely strong propensity for reform or exceptional circumstances.
His actions were a conscious and intentional response to feelings of jealousy, hurt and anger when he realised his ex-girlfriend had brought home another man, said the judge.
For voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a weapon, Cheng could have been sentenced either to life imprisonment, or jailed for up to 15 years, fined, caned, or given a combination of these penalties.
