SINGAPORE - A renovation contractor, who steered his lorry towards a man and his son along a back alley, was jailed for four weeks and banned from driving for a year on Wednesday (Feb 28).

Chinese national Hou Tie, 32, had gone to the alley of Bugis Cube on Dec 10, 2016, to meet electrician Teh Yew Boon, 52, and his son Sandy Teh, 25, to settle a dispute.

Hou, a Singapore permanent resident, had offered a project to the elder Teh three days earlier and given him $900 as deposit.

But there was a dispute between them over the payment for the project. As a result, Mr Teh did not commence work.

On the day of the offence, Hou called Mr Teh and confronted him about the issue. They agreed to meet at Bugis Cube in North Bridge Road.

Hou, accompanied by his wife, drove to Bugis Cube. When he saw Mr Teh and his son standing on the road at the back alley, he steered his lorry towards them. Both men dodged to avoid being hit, the court heard. Neither Mr Teh nor his son was hurt.

Hou stopped the vehicle abruptly and mounted the kerb of the road. Mr Teh picked up a crowbar nearby and hit the lorry. Hou got out and retrieved a 1m-long wooden pole from the back of his vehicle. He restrained Mr Teh in a neck lock while hitting his head.

Mr Teh's son intervened and hit Hou, but he did not let go of Mr Teh. In the midst of the scuffle, Hou used the pole to hit the victim's head.

Mr Teh was treated for a 4cm-long cut on his scalp, along with abrasions on two fingers and left elbow.

Hou, who made compensation of $500 to Mr Teh for his medical expenses, was jailed for four weeks and banned from driving for a year by District Judge Ong Chin Rhu on Wednesday.

He could have been jailed for up to two years and/or fined up to $5,000 for causing hurt. For acting rashly to endanger life, he could have been jailed for up to six months and/or fined up to $2,500.