SINGAPORE: A 26-year-old man was on Wednesday (Nov 20) sentenced to one week in jail for punching and kicking his ex-girlfriend at her own home out of jealousy.
Zachary Chung Wei Yik pleaded guilty to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt, with another charge of mischief considered in sentencing.
The hearing began with District Judge James Elisha Lee deciding not to place a gag order on the victim's identity.
The prosecution had applied for the gag order, saying this was to avoid revictimising her through unwanted scrutiny and embarrassment.
Defence counsel James Ow Yong argued this meant Chung's identity would also be protected, as the victim could be identified through her romantic association with him.
But Judge Lee allowed the victim to be named as the assault was not sexual in nature and she was not protected under the Children and Young Persons Act.
The victim, a 40-year-old South Korean woman, worked at a nightclub located in the Orchard area. She met Chung in March 2022, and they started a relationship.
They broke up in May 2023 but still saw each other. A few days before the assault, they quarrelled as Chung was seeing another woman.
In the early hours of Sep 12, 2023, Chung was drinking with friends at the club where the victim worked when he saw another patron buy flowers for her.
Buying flower garlands for female hostesses and performers is a common practice at nightclubs in Singapore.
Chung became jealous when he saw this, and spent more than S$1,300 (US$970) buying flowers for the victim. He later saw her leave the club with the other patron.
At about 5.30am, the victim returned home but could not find the key to her place, which she kept in a shoe outside.
Chung then came out of the lift holding the key. He started punching and kicking his ex-girlfriend, including in her face and head.
While assaulting her, Chung asked for the identity of the patron who had left the club with her. He then dragged her into her home.
Inside, he cut the woman's clothing and a soft toy that belonged to her, which constituted the mischief charge.
After the assault, Chung stayed the night. The next afternoon, the victim started feeling pain from her injuries.
Chung drove her to the hospital to get treatment, and she was admitted for monitoring. The assault was reported by the doctor who attended to her.
The woman suffered bruising, swelling and abrasions on various parts of her body. She was discharged a day later, and given five days of medical leave.
Cosmetic fillers in the woman's face were also displaced during the assault. She was only able to work after returning from South Korea on Oct 17, 2023, having received treatment for this, the prosecutor said.
The prosecutor, who asked for a short jail term, described the assault as "brutal", arguing that Chung targeted the victim's head and face.
He said that while Chung made restitution of about S$1,600 for the victim's medical expenses, which totalled more than S$2,400, he only did so after she told him she did not have enough money to pay for them.
Defence counsel Mr Ow Yong said there was a context of mutual accusations of unfaithfulness between Chung and the victim, and that his client acted out of a loss of control over his emotions.
He said the victim's injuries were minor, and that Chung did not set out to inflict injuries in those specific areas. "It was more a frenzy than a targeted attack," said the lawyer.
He also argued that the assault was not premeditated and that Chung did not set out to "ambush" the victim. He had an arrangement to meet her at her place that night and was there for a "social purpose", Mr Ow Yong said.
"He was for all intents and purposes a welcome guest at her place," said Mr Ow Yong, who asked for a fine of S$5,000.
Judge Lee questioned whether the victim merely let Chung stay because she was traumatised by the assault, but the lawyer said there was nothing to suggest this.
In sentencing, the judge pointed out that Chung attacked the victim without any provocation from her, and that it was a one-sided assault.
He also took guidance from the case of Shawn Tan Jia Jun, who was jailed for two weeks for punching and kicking his then girlfriend when she was nine weeks pregnant.
The judge said Chung's offences were less egregious than Tan's, but that the threshold for imprisonment had still been crossed given the injuries his ex-girlfriend suffered and the nature of the assault.
Chung is set to start serving his sentence on Dec 13, 2024, after being granted a deferment to settle work matters.
The punishment for voluntarily causing hurt is a jail term of up to three years, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both.
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Zachary Chung Wei Yik pleaded guilty to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt, with another charge of mischief considered in sentencing.
The hearing began with District Judge James Elisha Lee deciding not to place a gag order on the victim's identity.
The prosecution had applied for the gag order, saying this was to avoid revictimising her through unwanted scrutiny and embarrassment.
Defence counsel James Ow Yong argued this meant Chung's identity would also be protected, as the victim could be identified through her romantic association with him.
But Judge Lee allowed the victim to be named as the assault was not sexual in nature and she was not protected under the Children and Young Persons Act.
The victim, a 40-year-old South Korean woman, worked at a nightclub located in the Orchard area. She met Chung in March 2022, and they started a relationship.
They broke up in May 2023 but still saw each other. A few days before the assault, they quarrelled as Chung was seeing another woman.
In the early hours of Sep 12, 2023, Chung was drinking with friends at the club where the victim worked when he saw another patron buy flowers for her.
Buying flower garlands for female hostesses and performers is a common practice at nightclubs in Singapore.
Chung became jealous when he saw this, and spent more than S$1,300 (US$970) buying flowers for the victim. He later saw her leave the club with the other patron.
At about 5.30am, the victim returned home but could not find the key to her place, which she kept in a shoe outside.
Chung then came out of the lift holding the key. He started punching and kicking his ex-girlfriend, including in her face and head.
While assaulting her, Chung asked for the identity of the patron who had left the club with her. He then dragged her into her home.
Inside, he cut the woman's clothing and a soft toy that belonged to her, which constituted the mischief charge.
After the assault, Chung stayed the night. The next afternoon, the victim started feeling pain from her injuries.
Chung drove her to the hospital to get treatment, and she was admitted for monitoring. The assault was reported by the doctor who attended to her.
The woman suffered bruising, swelling and abrasions on various parts of her body. She was discharged a day later, and given five days of medical leave.
Cosmetic fillers in the woman's face were also displaced during the assault. She was only able to work after returning from South Korea on Oct 17, 2023, having received treatment for this, the prosecutor said.
The prosecutor, who asked for a short jail term, described the assault as "brutal", arguing that Chung targeted the victim's head and face.
He said that while Chung made restitution of about S$1,600 for the victim's medical expenses, which totalled more than S$2,400, he only did so after she told him she did not have enough money to pay for them.
Defence counsel Mr Ow Yong said there was a context of mutual accusations of unfaithfulness between Chung and the victim, and that his client acted out of a loss of control over his emotions.
He said the victim's injuries were minor, and that Chung did not set out to inflict injuries in those specific areas. "It was more a frenzy than a targeted attack," said the lawyer.
He also argued that the assault was not premeditated and that Chung did not set out to "ambush" the victim. He had an arrangement to meet her at her place that night and was there for a "social purpose", Mr Ow Yong said.
"He was for all intents and purposes a welcome guest at her place," said Mr Ow Yong, who asked for a fine of S$5,000.
Judge Lee questioned whether the victim merely let Chung stay because she was traumatised by the assault, but the lawyer said there was nothing to suggest this.
In sentencing, the judge pointed out that Chung attacked the victim without any provocation from her, and that it was a one-sided assault.
He also took guidance from the case of Shawn Tan Jia Jun, who was jailed for two weeks for punching and kicking his then girlfriend when she was nine weeks pregnant.
The judge said Chung's offences were less egregious than Tan's, but that the threshold for imprisonment had still been crossed given the injuries his ex-girlfriend suffered and the nature of the assault.
Chung is set to start serving his sentence on Dec 13, 2024, after being granted a deferment to settle work matters.
The punishment for voluntarily causing hurt is a jail term of up to three years, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both.
Continue reading...