SINGAPORE - A man vomited in a taxi and then attacked the driver who wanted to know if he would pay for the cost of cleaning the taxi, a court heard on Friday (Jan 15).
Gary Goh Koon Wei, 26, was jailed for five weeks and ordered to pay compensation of $108 after he admitted kicking taxi driver Alex Ng Keng Tiong, 41, at the carpark next to Block 210, Choa Chu Kang Central, on July 11, 2014.
Two other charges - spitting twice at Mr Ng and using abusive and insulting words - were considered during his sentencing.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jason Chua said that on July 10, 2014, Goh had attended his university commencement ceremony and graduation dinner.
Later, he, his girlfriend and some of his friends went to the Wine Bar at Zouk nightclub, where he drank alcohol.
At about 1am the next day, he and his girlfriend left and boarded Mr Ng's TransCab.
During the journey, he vomited in the taxi. Mr Ng stopped and passed Goh's girlfriend a plastic bag before continuing the journey. He asked them whether they were going to pay for the cost of cleaning the taxi but received no response.
At 1.27am, the taxi arrived at the destination and the girlfriend paid the taxi fare.
Mr Ng then turned around and asked the couple if they were going to pay for the cost of cleaning the vehicle.
Goh tried to punch Mr Ng, who blocked the punches with his arms. Mr Ng then tried to push Goh back to the passenger seat. Goh kicked the cabby on the face.
Mr Ng managed to grab Goh's leg and held it between the driver and front passenger seats.
Later, all three got down from the taxi.
Goh went to the driver's side and cornered the driver at the door and taunted him. Mr Ng pressed the emergency button of the taxi and called the police.
Goh took a $50 note and threw it towards Mr Ng, who recorded parts of the taunts on his mobile phone.
Goh picked up the $50 and walked to the lift lobby of Block 210. Mr Ng followed him and told him to wait for the police. Goh turned around and confronted Mr Ng and taunted him again.
Mr Ng was given three days of medical leave for a swelling on his right cheekbone.
Goh could have been jailed for up to two years and fined up to $5,000 for voluntarily causing hurt.
