Recalcitrant offender who attacked teenager with chopper and took part in gang fight jailed for 8 months

SINGAPORE - A man who was already out on bail for another offence hit a teenager on the head with a chopper because he thought the boy was staring at him.

Chong Chee Keong, 51, was sentenced to eight months behind bars on Monday (April 23) for one count of voluntarily causing hurt with dangerous weapons and one of being part of an unlawful assembly in a fight that occurred in Jalan Sultan Road in 2016.

He was out on bail for being involved in the fight.

The court heard that Mohamed Ashiq Halid, 17, was chatting with his older brother and cousin at the void deck of Block 48 Lower Delta Road on Oct 31 last year.

Chong passed by and accused the boy of staring and asked if he wanted to create a problem.

Court documents stated that this was the second time Chong had seen Ashiq.

Chong went up to his unit and came back with a chopper that he swung at Ashiq's neck. Ashiq managed to push him away but Chong grabbed his collar and again swung the chopper at his head.

Ashiq felt a sharp pain, shoved Chong away and ran off.

The teenager suffered a 3cm scalp laceration that was treated at Singapore General Hospital.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Rachel Tan told the court that the act was "premeditated" and "unprovoked".

Chong, who works as a cleaner, said that he suffers from depression and pleaded for leniency. He also told the court that he is married with three children.

District Judge Mathew Joseph said: "I'm a little concerned. This is a totally unprovoked attack. It's just a little boy sitting down."

He added that Chong should "consider himself fortunate" that Ashiq did not suffer more serious injuries.

The court heard that this was not Chong's first violence-related offence.

He had "played a leading role in unlawful assembly" in a Jalan Sultan fight on Aug 27, 2016, said Ms Tan.

Chong was seen urinating on a wall near 14 Aliwal Street at about 2am.

Ms Kim Go Eun, who was there smoking with Mr Syed Shazwan Syed Omar, asked him to stop but he ignored her and continued.

Before leaving, Chong challenged the pair to a fight.

Mr Shazwan responded and the pair began trading punches. At one point, Chong was even throwing punches when Mr Shazwan was on the ground.

After two of Mr Shazwan's friends joined in, Chong walked away and the fight stopped.

Mr Shazwan and his friends returned to WitBier in Pahang Street while Chong went back to Club V6 where he worked at and told five co-workers that he had been assaulted.

He then led them to the cafe and the six men began punching and kicking Mr Shazwan.

His friends tried to intervene but were also attacked.

Chong and his accomplices fled before the police arrived.

For voluntarily causing hurt with dangerous weapons, Chong could be jailed for up to seven years, fined, caned, or any combination of these three penalties. A conviction for being a member of an unlawful assembly brings a jail term of up to two years, a fine, or both.

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