PMD rider jailed and fined for attacking couple on footpath in Woodlands

After drinking beer, Yeo Kian Heng, 57, rode his illegal personal mobility device (PMD) on a footpath and attacked a couple.

His 10-year-old son tried to stop him and begged one of the victims not to call the police.

Yesterday, Yeo pleaded guilty to one count each of voluntarily causing grievous hurt, using criminal force, and riding his banned PMD on a footpath.

He was jailed for 13 months, two weeks and a day, and fined $500.

At about 8.50pm on Feb 1 last year, Yeo rode his PMD on the pavement along Woodlands Avenue 7. He had drunk two bottles of beer and picked up his son from his sister's home.

Yeo rode past a 55-year-old man and his 50-year-old wife, and told the former that it was not his father's road.

He then got off the PMD and walked angrily towards the couple.

His son tried to pull him back.

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But Yeo punched the man on the jaw, causing him to fall. As Yeo continued to rain blows on him, even stepping on him, the woman called the police despite the boy pleading with her not to. Yeo then fled on his PMD, leaving his son behind.

The boy and the woman chased after Yeo but stopped after about 200m. The boy again begged her not to call the police, but she told him that Yeo had to take responsibility for his actions.

Yeo later went up to them and swung his fists and kicked in the woman's direction, but she managed to dodge the blows and ran back to her husband.

Yeo rode away again, but was later caught.

The male victim suffered rib fractures, a bleeding nose and minor head injuries. He was taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

District Judge Janet Wang allowed Yeo to defer serving his sentence by two weeks to make arrangements for his children to be taken care of.

Yeo is out on bail of $15,000 and is expected to start serving his sentence on March 26.

For voluntarily causing grievous hurt, he could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined.