Spurned man beats woman, jailed 6 months

After having drinks together, a jobless man invited the woman he had just met to a hotel nearby. When she said no and pushed him away, he beat her up and left her lying injured on the ground.

Yesterday, Zulkifly Pardon was sentenced to six months in prison after pleading guilty to hurting Murni Wati Azni, 27, outside Palais Renaissance mall in Orchard Road.

The serial offender received a further 29 months' jail and three strokes of the cane for six other counts including theft, unlicensed moneylending and drug-related offences. All the offences were committed between April and June.

The court heard that on the evening of June 15, the 45-year-old had gone to Orchard Towers with Ms Murni Wati, where they had two bottles of alcohol at two pubs.

Zulkifly punched and kicked the woman in her face around 5.50am the next morning, after she rejected him. She was left with abrasions and bruises on her head, and had to be treated in hospital.

Pleading for leniency, Zulkifly said he was divorced with two young children, and that his former wife would struggle to "keep our family going".

But District Judge Low Wee Ping noted Zulkifly's long criminal record stretching back to 1985, when he was just 16. This included offences such as theft, drug consumption and verbally abusing public servants.

Referring to his most recent offences, the judge said: "It looks like...you went on a rampage."

Zulkifly, who admitted to two other charges, could have been jailed for up to two years and fined up to $5,000 for voluntarily causing hurt.

pohian@sph.com.sg

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