SINGAPORE - An Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College East student was out on bail for offences including cheating by personation when he used a bread knife to slash a schoolmate on campus in February.

On Thursday (Dec 2), Palanidas Ramadas, now 19, pleaded guilty to eight charges for offences including causing hurt with a weapon and driving without a licence.

Another ITE student, 18, had provided the bread knife Palanidas used in the attack.

The Straits Times understands that both teenagers are no longer students there.

The younger teenager was sentenced to 27 months' probation last month after he pleaded guilty to his role in the knife attack and being part of an attempted robbery in October 2019.

He cannot be named under the Children and Young Persons Act as he was 17 at the time of the attempted robbery.

Palanidas started his crime spree in early December last year after he used a teenage girl's mobile phone and came across pictures of a 31-year-old man's NRIC and driving licence on the device.

The court heard that the man had earlier sent them over as he was helping her sign up for car-sharing service BlueSG.

Without the girl's knowledge and the man's consent, Palanidas forwarded the pictures to his own mobile phone.

Palanidas, who did not have a driving licence, later used the man's information to rent vehicles from Shariot, a firm that provides car-sharing services.

His offences came to light after the Traffic Police stopped him while he was unlawfully driving a car along the Pan-Island Expressway at around 10.30am on Dec 30 last year.

While out on bail on Feb 15 this year, Palanidas contacted his accomplice, asking him to bring a bread knife to school as one of his friends had "problems" there.

The younger teenager took the weapon to school the next day.

Palanidas and the victim, 20, were in a campus canteen when they got into a verbal dispute over a staring incident.

Palanidas then asked the victim to meet at a carpark of their school and the latter agreed.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Seah Ee Wei said: "The accused took the bread knife and approached the victim, swinging the knife towards the victim's chest area. The victim tried to shield himself but the accused managed to slash him several times.

"The victim then ran and the accused gave chase, swinging the knife at him a few more times before the victim managed to escape. The victim called his father for help and his father called the police."

The victim was taken to Changi General Hospital where he was found with wounds on his left shoulder and ear. He was then given four days of medical leave.

Palanidas left his school after the attack and threw away the bread knife. He was arrested on Feb 17.

On Thursday, Deputy Presiding Judge S. Jennifer Marie called for reports to assess the Singaporean teenager's suitability for probation and reformative training.

Offenders in reformative training are detained in a centre and made to follow a strict regimen that includes foot drills and counselling.

Palanidas' mitigation and sentencing will take place on Jan 11 next year.