Man jailed for attack on 'his true love'

SINGAPORE - A jobless man believed he had found "true love" with a disco pub performer from China nearly half his age - until friends told him she had been cheating on him.

When Tang How Seng went to confront her about it at a McDonald's outlet, things got out of hand and he ended up pulling out a knife, then kicking her nose and breaking it in a scuffle.

On Thursday, the divorced 55-year-old was jailed for six months for the attack at New World Centre in Jalan Berseh.

Victim Chen Xiao Mei, 28, had been in a relationship with Tang since last August and he supported her financially, Deputy Public Prosecutor Elaine Liew told a district court.

Two months later, he heard from his friends that Ms Chen was seeing someone else.

On the evening of Feb 27, she and three friends joined Tang's table at the fast food joint.

During a row, Tang took out a knife and asked if she had other boyfriends. When a scuffle ensued, Tang hurt her and she fell to the ground, bleeding. He then kicked her on the nose.

Tang's lawyer Josephus Tan, who represented him for free, said this had been a case of "unrequited love". Tang supported Ms Chen by using his 82- year-old mother's money in two instances: $4,000 so she could fly to Singapore after spending a few months in China and another $5,000 for Chinese New Year.

District Judge Low Wee Ping told Tang he was lucky his case did not end up in the High Court. Had his victim died, he could have faced trial over a far more serious charge, he said. Tang could have been jailed for up to seven years and/or fined.

elena@sph.com.sg

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