Stall assistant jailed 10 months for scalding hawker

A "senseless" argument between two hawkers at Whampoa Market ended with a fishball noodle stall assistant splashing hot water on the chest of a prawn noodle stall owner.

The attack caused the victim to suffer severe burns that left her breast permanently disfigured.

The assailant, Kim Eng Suthi-vanich, 52, was initially cleared of a charge of causing hurt to the 46-year-old victim by means of a heated substance.

She was acquitted by a district judge who accepted her contention that she did not know the water was hot and was likely to cause hurt.

But the High Court reversed the acquittal in June, following an appeal by prosecutors who described the assault as a "vicious one-way attack" .

Yesterday, Suthivanich was sentenced to 10 months' jail and ordered to pay compensation of $225.93 to the victim, Ms Leow Suat Hong.

The court heard that Ms Leow had permission from the owner of the fishball noodle stall, Mr Sim Kok Soon, to borrow things from his stall and use his fridge.

On the morning of Aug 13, 2017, Ms Leow went over to his stall to get cooking ingredients.

An argument broke out between the two women. Suthivanich, who was employed by Mr Sim, said Ms Leow had not returned the cleaning lotion and cloth that she had taken but the latter denied taking the items.

Enraged, Suthivanich told the victim to get out of the stall. She then grabbed a ladle, scooped water from the stove and splashed it at the victim multiple times.

When Ms Leow ran out to call the police, Suthivanich went in pursuit and used the ladle to knock the phone from the victim's hands.

The assault was captured on CCTV.

The victim was later given 17 days' medical leave for her injuries.

In June, High Court judge Aedit Abdullah convicted Suthivanich, saying that the acquittal went against the weight of the evidence.

Justice Aedit said a reasonable person in the accused's position would conclude that the water would have been hot and have known that hurt was likely to be caused.

"This was after all a stall serving hot food," said the judge.

Yesterday, the prosecution sought 12 months' jail, arguing that the scalding not only left the victim's breast permanently disfigured but also caused her to suffer psychological and emotional trauma.

The injuries caused her to lose self-confidence and affected her ability to start a relationship for fear that her partner will leave her as her body is "incomplete", said submissions by Deputy Public Prosecutors Bhajanvir Singh and Delicia Tan.