A production supervisor who hit a colleague's head with a metal crowbar was jailed for four months on Wednesday.

Khine Soe, 27, a Myanmar national, admitted to attacking Chinese national Yu Yigui, 43, who suffered a deep cut over the back of his head, at their workplace, United Wooden Case and Packaging Enterprise, Kranji Way, on Oct 29 last year. The court heard that Khine Soe was using a metal crowbar to remove long nails from some wooden planks when Mr Yu, a carpenter, came and placed a wooden plank on the same table.

The accused told the victim to move his plank as he needed the space to do his work but the victim ignored him and went back to do his work about 2m away in a squatting position. Agitated, Khine Soe swung the metal crowbar at the back of Mr Yu's head, hitting it.

When the victim felt the blow and reached to touch the back of his head, he realised that it was bleeding. One of his colleagues then accompanied him to National University Hospital. The victim was discharged on Nov 1 and given medical leave till Nov 28.

A second charge of punching a co-worker at the bus stop along Marsiling Drive that day was taken into consideration.

Khine Soe could have been jailed for up to seven years, fined, caned or given any of the combined sentences for causing hurt with a dangerous weapon.