A man who had too much to drink punched a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) paramedic repeatedly in the head as he was attending to him.

Heng Kow Miang punched Staff Sergeant Muhammad Zuhaili Zulkafli's left temple three times until it bled.

The incident happened outside a nightspot in Clarke Quay shortly before midnight on Oct 29 last year.

Yesterday, the 64-year-old retiree was jailed for five weeks after pleading guilty to one count of using criminal force on a public servant.

The court heard that he had gone to The Pump Room microbrewery, where he drank beer from 9pm to 11.30pm. He was highly inebriated by the time he walked out and lay down outside the nightspot.

A 56-year-old man, who spotted Heng at about 11.40pm, called for an ambulance.

When Staff Sgt Zuhaili, 25, and his colleagues arrived, Heng was sitting on the ground at the Clarke Quay Fountain Square.

Said Deputy Public Prosecutor Houston Johannus: "Staff Sgt Zuhaili approached the accused and tried to check on his condition. However, the accused refused to be checked. The accused suddenly stood up and walked with an unsteady gait.

"Staff Sgt Zuhaili and his colleagues grabbed hold of the accused to steady him, and tried to assist the accused onto a stretcher."

Heng "suddenly behaved aggressively" and punched Staff Sgt Zuhaili's temple thrice, said the DPP.

The police were called and they arrested Heng, while Staff Sgt Zuhaili was treated in hospital and given four days of medical leave.

For using criminal force on a public servant, Heng could have been jailed for up to four years and fined.