SINGAPORE - Two men have now been jailed for assaulting a taxi driver after he objected to one of them kicking his seat.

Nicholas Ho Long Wei, 28, then a senior manpower resourcing executive, was drunk when he kept kicking 32-year-old Ong Ti Guan's seat as he sat behind him. He was jailed for seven weeks on Wednesday (Jan 17).

His co-accused, Leng Xiang Ho, also 28, was sentenced to two months last Thursday.

Ho and Leng, with two female companions, had earlier shared two to three bottles of whisky and cognac at a club on Jan 30 last year.

They decided to take a cab in Orchard Road at around 3am.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sarah Shi said Ho began kicking the cabby's seat and although Leng tried to stop him doing so, Mr Ong pulled over outside Concorde Hotel and asked the group to alight.

As Ho got out, he punched the cabby in the face and asked the driver what he wanted.

Mr Ong called the police.

DPP Shi said Leng tried to pay Mr Ong the fare by throwing a $10 bill on the floor. Mr Ong returned him $5.

Ho then tugged Mr Ong's jacket and punched him three times in the head, knocking his glasses off.

Both men ended up by the side of the road. Ho tripped on the kerb and pulled the cabby down with him into some bushes.

Leng then climbed into the bushes and started punching Mr Ong repeatedly in his face and head for about 10 seconds. Mr Ong struggled and Ho held onto his legs.

One of the women subsequently intervened and pulled Ho away. After a while, Leng let go of the driver and walked away.

Mr Ong was treated in hospital.

Ho has paid him $500 in compensation.

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