Road rage taxi driver jailed for punching motorcyclist

SINGAPORE - A taxi driver was jailed for four weeks on Thursday for punching a motorcyclist twice in the face.

Lee Peng Geok, 49, pleaded guilty to hurting Mr Albert Goh Ban Chye, 43, at the junction of Henderson Road and Telok Blangah Way on Feb 25 this year.

A court heard that Mr Goh was riding his motorcycle and had made a U-turn along Henderson Road when Lee, who was approaching him along the road from the opposite direction, sounded his horn.

The rider had completed his U-turn when Lee sounded his horn some distance away, said Assistant Public Prosecutor Andrew Low.

Lee continued to horn at Mr Goh, who subsequently stopped at a red light.

Mr Goh turned around and gestured to ask why Lee was doing so.

Lee then alighted from the taxi and spoke aggressively to the victim. When Mr Goh raised his helmet visor, Lee punched him twice on his nose.

The victim called the police. When he tried to stop Lee from leaving, Lee tried to punch him.

Mr Goh suffered a minor abrasion over the nasal bridge and had blood clots in his nostrils. There was also a mild deviation of the nasal bridge and mild swelling and abrasion over the upper lip.

Lee, who has a conviction for fighting in 1998, said in mitigation that he was feeling unwell that day and was having financial problems. He claimed that the victim showed him his middle finger but the prosecutor disputed this.

He could have been jailed for up to two years and fined up to $5,000 for voluntarily causing hurt.

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