2 weeks’ jail, $8k fine for drunken driver who committed same offence after getting charged
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Ashwath Thanaraj, who pleaded guilty to two counts of drink-driving, will be disqualified from driving for 54 months after his release from prison.
ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
- Ashwath Thanaraj was jailed for two weeks, fined $8,000, and disqualified from driving for 54 months after pleading guilty to two drink-driving offences.
- He was first caught drink-driving in April 2025 with 91 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath, above the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.
- Two months later, after drinking six glasses of whiskey, he caused an accident and was found with 97 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – A man who was already facing a drink-driving charge was on July 31 handed a two-week jail sentence and a $8,000 fine after he committed the same offence a mere two months later.
Ashwath Thanaraj, who pleaded guilty to two counts of drink driving, will be disqualified from driving for 54 months after his release from prison.
According to court documents, Ashwath, 26, was at a friend’s home in Upper Cross Street on April 8, 2025 when he drank at least three cans of beer from 11.15pm to about 12.45am.
After he left his friend’s home, he returned to his vehicle, which was parked at a nearby multi-storey carpark. He was planning to drive to Block 533 Upper Cross Street for a meal.
While driving in the carpark, he was stopped by a police officer who noticed Ashwath was reeking of alcohol. The officer then conducted a breathalyser test on Ashwath, which he failed.
Ashwath was arrested, and a second breathalyser test taken at about 1.56am revealed that he had 91 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, above the legal prescribed limit of 35 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath.
Ashwath was charged on June 5, 2025 for this offence.
On June 7, 2025, Ashwath attended a birthday party at Fairmont Hotel.
He drove his car to the venue. At the party, he consumed at least six glasses of whiskey.
He stopped drinking at about 2am on June 8, 2025, and left for Serangoon Gardens, where he was planning to have a meal.
As he was driving along Yio Chu Kang Road, he collided with a 43-year-old man who was on a personal mobility device.
A police officer who attended to the case noticed Ashwath was reeking of alcohol and conducted a breathalyser test on him.
Ashwath failed the test and was later found to have 97 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
For drink driving, an offender can be fined between $2,000 to $10,000, jailed for up to a year, or both.
Repeat offenders can be fined between $5,000 to $20,000, and jailed for up to two years.
