A lorry driver ran a red light and crashed his vehicle into a taxi while trying to escape from Customs officers. On Monday, Daniel Shaun, 29, was sentenced to three months' jail for driving dangerously and banned from driving for 1 1/2 years.

He was also slapped with nine months' jail for being involved in the delivery of 350 cartons of duty unpaid cigarettes from a warehouse at Kallang Way to Geylang Lorong 13.

While driving along Upper Serangoon Road at 1 am on May 15 this year, he noticed a car with Customs officers following him. He sped up and beat the red light at the junction in an attempt to lose the tail. However, his lorry smashed into Mr Chan Yong Thiang's taxi which was crossing the junction along Potong Pasir Avenue 1.

Shaun kept going but Customs officers stopped his lorry some 150 m from the junction. The taxi was badly damaged and Mr Chan, 43, injured his right hand.

Shaun also pleaded guilty to obstructing a police officer on duty on Christmas Eve last year and was jailed for a week. His total sentence was nine months and a week as the three months' jail term for driving dangerously was ordered to run concurrently.