SINGAPORE - After her former husband assaulted her in a taxi during a dispute, the frightened woman immediately opened the taxi door and jumped out.

The couple's daughter followed suit.

The incident happened along Seletar North Link on May 27 this year when Madam Tay Siew Noi, 46, told her former husband, Austrian Gerhardt Resch, to give some directions to the taxi driver.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Houston Johannus said Resch, 46, unemployed, became angry and quarrelled with Madam Tay, demanding that she show him due respect as a husband.

He then pulled her hair, grabbed her left shoulder forcefully and knocked her head against the taxi window twice, causing her bodily pain. She managed to break away from him and jumped out of the taxi.

She then ran towards some passers-by and told them what had happened. One of them called the police.

Madam Tay suffered a small bruise on her left shoulder and tenderness overlying the left trapezius muscle.

On Friday (July 7), Resch, who is in custody, pleaded guilty to two charges of causing hurt to Madam Tay and breach of a personal protection order (PPO) granted by a family court judge on Dec 23, 2015.

They divorced early last year.

In the other case, the court heard that the couple had spent some time drinking on Nov 19, 2016.

When they got home, they quarrelled over some housing and financial issues. Enraged, Resch pulled her hair and punched her on the face a few times. Madam Tay ran to her neighbour's house and the neighbour called the police and ambulance. She did not seek any medical attention.

Resch was sentenced to six weeks' jail, which was backdated to May 30.

He is facing trial for punching a patron and using a mug to hit another at a coffee shop in Sembawang Drive and disorderly behaviour on June 12, 2016. The case was heard in May and will resume on Aug 2.

The maximum punishment for causing hurt is two years' jail and a $5,000 fine.

For breach of a PPO, the maximum penalty is a $2,000 fine and six months' jail.