WHEN 61-year-old Chua Ah Ye asked a cabby to move his parked taxi
so she could cycle onto the pavement, he punched her in the face,
breaking her nose and cheekbone.
Fellow cyclist Seow Cheng Khue, 75, then scolded Tan Chye
Tiong for hitting her - and was punched in the face
himself.
Tan, 59, was jailed for two months by a district court
yesterday and told to pay $598 in compensation to Madam
Chua.
She and two friends celebrated Mothers' Day on May 12 last year
over a meal at a coffee shop near Chai Chee Road.
The trio then cycled home at about 9pm.
Tan had just dropped off two passengers and parked his taxi in
front of a ramp that led to the pavement.
He was smoking a cigarette when Madam Chua asked him to make way
for her.
He refused, sparking a squabble. Then without warning, he punched
her, knocking her to the ground. When Mr Seow went to help her, he
too was hit and sustained a swollen eye and bruises.
Asking for a jail term of at least six weeks, Deputy Public
Prosecutor Jasmin Kaur said the cabby had assaulted the elderly
people over a minor matter.
Tan, who did not have a lawyer, pleaded for leniency, saying he was
suffering from ailments including diabetes and hypertension.
In sentencing Tan, District Judge Lim Keng Yeow said his aggressive
conduct was "quite shocking".
Tan was allowed to start his jail term on Aug 29 after he asked for
two weeks to settle personal matters and to raise money to pay the
compensation.
He could have been jailed for up to two years, or fined up to
$5,000, or both.
KHUSHWANT SINGH
