SINGAPORE - A chief operating officer of a pharmaceutical, research and development company was fined $3,000 on Monday for causing hurt to a female club patron.

Shannon Tan Choon Kwom, 39, who works in a family business called BioDYNE Labs Holdings, pleaded guilty to smashing a champagne glass onto the floor at Club KYO, which caused a cut on Ms Ling Looi Ping's right leg. The incident occurred at Cecil Street at about 1am on May 4 last year.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Chan Yi Cheng told the court that Ms Ling, 41, a housewife, had gone to KYO with a group of friends at about midnight that day. As the club was crowded, they walked around in search of a table. They shared a table which Tan and his friends were occupying after seeking their permission.

Ms Ling sat at the couch area next to the table with a friend while her friends were standing around. Ms Ling then asked if it was all right for her to place the drinks on the table. There was no verbal consent. As such, she and her group then used the table to place their drinks. Suddenly, Tan smashed a champagne glass onto the floor. It broke and fragments landed on Ms Ling's leg, causing a cut. She and her friends then left for the washroom to wash up. The police were called, and Tan was arrested.

Tan's lawyer Francis Goh said in mitigation that his client not only oversees the research into chronic illnesses, in particular cancer, he also runs the weekly support group for cancer patients. He said what occurred that night was out of character for Tan. He had been invited to the establishment and occupied a VIP table reserved for him and his friends. He said Tan's guests felt uncomfortable and left soon after the complainant and her friends joined their table.

He smashed the champagne glass on the floor as he was reaching for it in his "state of agitation", said the lawyer. Tan could have been jailed for up to one year and/or fined up to $5,000 for causing hurt by doing a rash act.