Angry at a friend who told him to leave a coffee shop for being too noisy, a man returned home to get a kitchen chopper and attacked the victim with it.

Marimuthu Subramaniam, 63, was yesterday jailed for 10 months after admitting to causing hurt to Mr K. Chandra Segaran, 48, with the weapon on Nov 6 last year.

The court heard that Marimuthu was drinking with Mr Chandra Segaran and two others at a coffee shop at Block 4 Jalan Bukit Ho Swee on Nov 5 last year when he had an argument with one of his friends.

Mr Chandra Segaran told the squabbling pair to leave because they were too noisy. Marimuthu subsequently became angry with Mr Chandra Segaran.

He left and retrieved a chopper from his home. He then returned to the coffee shop at about 1.30am and sat at a table outside, facing Mr Chandra Segaran and the other friend.

He shouted at Mr Chandra Segaran while pointing and waving the chopper.

When the latter left shortly afterwards, Marimuthu attacked him near Blocks 2 and 4.

The victim fell, but realised he was injured only when he reached home. He then called the police. He was given two days of medical leave for a superficial 6cm cut on the neck.

Pleading for leniency, Marimuthu said he had given up drinking and wished to turn over a new leaf.

Marimuthu, who has several unrelated convictions, could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined for causing hurt with a weapon.

Elena Chong