SINGAPORE - A sales executive was jailed for four weeks on Friday for punching a taxi driver on his face and head with a bunch of keys, when the latter declined to take him and his friend.

Goh Yong Hock, 23, had admitted to causing hurt to Mr Bernard Chan Yew Luin, 37, who suffered cuts and was left with permanent scars, on Aug 8 last year.

Mr Chan was driving his taxi along River Valley Road at about 2.50am when Goh and co-accused Tiong Hin Yang, 22, flagged his taxi, the court heard. The victim declined to take them as he was changing shifts and going a different way.

The duo kicked the rear passenger door as Mr Chan was driving off. They also banged on the boot of the taxi.

Mr Chan stopped and got down on hearing noises from the back. He confronted the duo. Tiong suddenly punched the victim on the right cheek while Goh attacked the victim in his head and face with a bunch of keys held exposed in his right hand.

The victim tried to block off the attacks to no avail.

Tiong was about to use a torchlight to hit the victim when a passer-by stopped him. Tiong got into a fight with the 21-year-old passer-by, who pinned him to the ground until the police arrived.

Tiong is now serving six months' jail for attacking the victim. He had pleaded guilty earlier in another court.

Goh's lawyer Raphael Louis said his client had paid $3,700 to the victim for his medical expenses. Goh could have been jailed for up to two years and/or fined up to $5,000 for voluntarily causing hurt.