SINGAPORE : There was high drama in court on Friday when Brian
Khoo, the man who pleaded guilty to attempting to rob a Maybank
branch with a toy gun, fainted in the dock on hearing his
sentence.
Khoo was sentenced to 4 and half years' jail and nine strokes of
the cane.
Khoo was wheeled out of court to a waiting ambulance after he
fainted on hearing his sentence.
This comes a day after Khoo made an emotional plea to the
court.
He had pleaded guilty and told the court he was remorseful and that
he wanted to tell his four sons not to commit any offence against
the law.
His eldest son was present in court on Friday.
According to his defence counsel, Khoo left his job as a court
clerk with the hope of a much better job prospect.
When that did not work out and the debts started piling up, Khoo,
who has a wife and four children to support, became
desperate.
Khoo then tried to rob a Maybank branch in Bukit Timah during
lunchtime on November 9 last year.
Khoo had whipped out a toy gun, and held a customer hostage and
demanded money from two counter staff.
The Cisco guard at the bank shot him twice, which has left him with
permanent injuries.
Khoo's lawyer, Winston Mok, said, "He's suffering from two gunshot
wounds. One was inflicted on his head and one on his shoulder. He
lost permanent eye sight in his right eye."
In passing his sentence. District Judge Tan Puay Boon said one
thing, however, was clear.
He said, "No banks or financial institutions should be thought of
as places where people can resort to obtaining easy money, however
difficult their financial position may be. No worker or customer at
these places should be subject to the terror the staff members and
the customer of the bank had felt."
Khoo had faced a possible jail term of 10 years. - CNA