A YOUNG man who impersonated a cop ended up being attacked by the man he had checked on and a group of others in Geylang.

He was so badly beaten up that he had to undergo surgery for his injuries.

Ong Jia Wei, 22, was jailed for a month on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to the impersonation charge.

He was at Lorong 28 Geylang in the early hours on March 31 when he asked Mr Lee Lai Soon, 55, if he was a pimp.

After the hawker denied this, Ong asked to see his wallet.

After checking, he handed the wallet with $1,100 back to Mr Lee.

Mr Lee then asked for his identification but Ong could not produce it.

Ong's lawyer K. Jayakumar Naidu said in mitigation that as his client was leaving, Mr Lee and a group of five to six men attacked him.

Ong suffered extensive injuries to his face and eyes which required surgery.

He could have been jailed for up to two years and/or fined.