SINGAPORE - A Secondary 4 student who fractured a younger schoolmate's nose over a queue-cutting incident was sentenced to 15 months' probation on Thursday.

Jason Lim Jia Sheng, 17, was also ordered to do 120 hours of community service, and pay $1,364.06 to compensate the 14-year-old victim for his medical expenses. He is to remain indoors between 10pm and 6am and his parents have to sign a $5,000 bond to ensure his good behaviour.

The court heard that the incident took place around 9.45am on Jan 29 this year, in the canteen of the school in Jurong West.

The victim, a Secondary 2 student, had spent 15 minutes queuing for food when Jason's friend went in front of him. He asked Jason's friend, also in Secondary 4, to go to the back but the friend replied "You not happy ar (sic)" and punched him in the right cheek. The victim retaliated with a punch and walked off after other students intervened and separated the pair. This was when Jason, who was nearby, ran after the victim and struck him in the face with his palm. The victim fell down from the force of the blow, and was left with a fractured and bloodied nose.

Jason's lawyer said her client had acted on impulse and was remorseful for his actions. He has also apologised. For voluntarily causing hurt, he could have been jailed up to two years and fined $5,000.