On Friday, Lee Soo Biow, 48, was fined $3,000 on each of the two charges of mischief at a multi-storey carpark at Marine Drive on June 7 and 21, 2006.

Earlier, the Community Court heard that Lee was driving his taxi near Marine Drive at about 3am on June 7 that year when he stopped and damaged Mr Lee Yoke Leong's car.

Two weeks later, he again deflated the tyres of Mr Lee's car and removed the lens of the two side mirrors.

This time, he was caught in the act by a built-in camera installed in the victim's car. Lee has compensated the victim $2,000.

District Judge James Leong told Lee he had committed a very serious offence - not once, but twice.

'It is not as if it was a one-time momentary lapse, you lose control of yourself. You went back and do the same thing. That is quite inexcusable,' he said.

The judge felt that a fine would be appropriate in this case, and told Lee that he was 'very lucky'' as the charge could carry a jail term of up to two years. Lee said he would never repeat it again.