A tipper truck driver was jailed for eight months and banned from driving for seven years on Monday for causing a death by driving dangerously.

Tay Peng Chay, 61, admitted causing the death of cyclist Selamat Mokthiri, 57, when he made an illegal left turn at a T-junction, causing his vehicle to hit the bicycle leading to the cyclist's death. The accident happened at the signalised junction of Brickland Road and Choa Chu Kang Avenue 3 on May 2 last year at about 12.10pm.

Tay also admitted moving the bicycle from under his tipper truck without police authority after the accident. A district court heard that Tay was driving along Choa Chu Kang Avenue 3 towards Toh Tuck Avenue to top up petrol at about 12.10pm that day. He intended to turn into Brickland Road but missed the slip road leading to it. At the junction, he saw that the traffic light was green in his favour, but he was allowed only to turn right.

After checking his surroundings, he made an illegal sharp left turn into Brickland Road from the Choa Chu Kang Avenue 3 junction. His truck ran over Mr Selamat, dragging his bicycle under the truck for about 184m before a motorist stopped him.

Engineer Rohaizad Othman, 51, who witnessed the accident, sounded his horn repeatedly and manoeuvred his car to the front to block the truck.

When Tay got down, Mr Rohaizat asked him twice if he knew that he had knocked someone down. Tay merely said his leg was in pain.

He then removed the bicycle from the undercarriage of the tipper truck and threw it onto the grass verge on the side of the road.

Mr Selamat was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead at 1.15pm.

Three other charges of failing to stop after a fatal accident, failing to help and moving his vehicle without police authority were taken into consideration.

He could have been jailed for up to five years for causing death by dangerous driving. The maximum penalty for moving his vehicle without lawful authority is a $1,000 fine or three months' jail.