By Elena Chong

A young Korean man was fined the maximum of $1,000 on Tuesday for pushing a drunk man who had hit him in the face.

The victim, Mr Seah Eng Lee, 29, an engineer, fell and suffered serious injuries.

In the dock was Jung Jae-Hyeong, 20, who admitted to shoving Mr Seah on his back near Liang Court, River Valley Road, on Dec 25 last year.

The court heard that Mr Seah had drinks at Pump Room and was leaving the pub when someone attacked him from behind. He fell.

He could not remember the details as he was drunk. He was taken to hospital and was found to have, among other things, a broken nose and a chipped tooth.

He returned to the hospital that evening, complaining of pain and swelling on his right hand. It turned out to be a fracture.

Jung said in mitigation that the victim gave him a slap and pointed his middle finger at him.

He could have been jailed for up to one year and/or fined.