STRESSING the seriousness of spousal violence, a district judge sentenced a former investment analyst to four years in jail and eight strokes of the cane on Friday.

Russell Tan Rui Leen, 39, had gone into a stabbing frenzy on Sept 30 last year and nearly killed his wife then, Madam Jann Goh Hwee Suan, 35, in their Paris Ris Drive flat. She lost so much blood, she needed blood transfusions and went through six different operations. Besides the more than 80 scars all over her body, she is also mentally scarred, she told the court in her victim impact statement.

Tan had pleaded guilty and was to be sentenced on July 29. It was adjourned as District Judge May Mesenas had asked prosecution to check on allegations that Tan had sent harassing e-mail and SMS messages to his wife after the accident.

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