SINGAPORE - A private school student was fined $2,000 on Wednesday for attacking another student with a knife.

Chinese national Chen Shijie, 24, admitted an amended charge of using the knife to slash Mr Wei Fangjie, 19, who is also from China, causing him to suffer cuts at the back of his head and lower back on Dec 13 last year.

The incident took place outside PSB Academy on Jalan Bukit Ho Swee where both were studying.

A district court heard that Mr Wei, together with his girlfriend and two others, had left PSB Academy after completing their examinations and were walking towards Tiong Bahru Plaza at about 5.10pm that day.

The victim's 20-year-old girlfriend was on the cellphone when she suddenly saw Chen run past her towards the victim and slash the victim at the back of his head with a knife.

The victim felt a sharp object being swung vertically at his head. Chen then swung the knife around wildly and kicked at the victim.

The victim ran back towards PSB Academy, chased by Chen. Chen caught up with him and slashed him once more, this time on his lower back region.

The victim suffered two cuts, including a superficial one over his lower back.

Chen's lawyer, Mr Edmund Wong, said his client had been bullied and assaulted by the victim physically and on cyberspace over a few months before the incident.

When Chen reported to the police that the victim had assaulted him, no action was taken against the victim.

The victim continued to taunt his client, hurl vulgarities, beat and threaten him, said the lawyer. That day, Chen took a knife intending to protect himself and to ask the victim why he always bullied him, but ended up hitting him with the knife.

Chen could have been jailed for up to two years and/or fined up to $5,000 for voluntarily causing hurt.