Commonwealth chopper case: Man who injured 8 people in random attacks sentenced to 2 years’ jail

SINGAPORE - The young man who attacked several people with a chopper and a knife in the Commonwealth area was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on Oct 24.

Joseph Lau Jin Hua, 22, had earlier pleaded guilty to two charges of voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon, and one charge of possession of an offensive weapon.

Six other charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

Court documents showed that Lau had attacked eight people in total between 6.45pm and 7.15pm on Feb 3, 2024,

while armed with a chopper and a knife

.

He claimed he heard voices telling him to “kill”.

One of his victims was a six-year-old girl, who cannot be named due to a gag order.

Lau swung a knife at the girl and the blunt end hit her in the face. The incident happened at the lift lobby of Block 31 Margaret Drive.

The girl’s father, who shielded her, suffered lacerations on his left forearm.

The girl, who was taken to the National University Hospital, suffered an abrasion on her neck, and dental injuries from the attack.

Five other men and one woman, aged from 20 to 78 years old, suffered lacerations, scratches and bruises on various parts of their bodies in the attacks.

According to an Institute of Mental Health (IMH) psychiatric report dated Feb 27, 2024, Lau was diagnosed with schizophreniform disorder, which was untreated at the time of the offences.

The disorder is a mental health condition, with symptoms that include hallucinations and delusions.

A second report, dated Sept 19, 2024, stated that there was a causal link between Lau’s mental condition and the attacks.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Timotheus Koh argued for a jail term of five to six years for Lau, noting that he requires treatment and close monitoring in a structured environment due to his condition.

In a report dated Jan 8, IMH stated that Lau remains a threat to himself because he continues to suffer from auditory hallucinations. He was also not responding well to treatment, as his symptoms did not improve despite taking medication.

“The accused needs a structured treatment environment. He cannot be released safely into the community if his psychosis does not remit,” said DPP Koh.

Lau’s defence lawyers, Mr Ryan Nonis and Mr Taufiq Suraidi from the Public Defender’s Office, had argued for a shorter sentence, citing that his rehabilitation could be addressed through the prison’s pre-release protocol, which can refer Lau to IMH if he is found unsuitable for release at the end of his sentence.

Lau’s sentence was backdated to Feb 3, 2024.