Bad blood between two families who live near each other and run stalls in the same hawker centre turned to violence when a brawl broke out at their HDB block.
The district court heard on Tuesday that Toh Kim Huat knocked down a folding chair that had been placed in the fourth-floor corridor by Ho Mei Ying.
That sparkled an argument that led to a scuffle.
Peh Ah Yew came to help his wife Ho, while Toh was with his wife, Lily Tan Soo Kian.
Toh's two daughters, aged 17 and 18, also joined the fight.
The men pleaded guilty to punching and hitting each other, while Ho admitted to grabbing and holding Tan's leg.
Peh,49; Ho, 37; and Toh, 48; pleaded guilty to committing affray in the June 25 fracas.
District Judge Ng Peng Hong ordered reports to gauge their suitability to perform community service or day reporting in lieu of a fine or a jail term.
Tan, 44, who denies that she hit the other woman and pulled her hair, is claiming trial.
The daughters were given conditional police warnings. If they break the law again within a year they could face charges of affray as well as for the new charge.
Previous media reports stated that there had been bad blood between the two families since last year.
Peh and Ho run a stall selling rice and Chinese dishes while Toh and Tan serve kuay chap or braised pig's innards.
Since the fight, Toh, his wife and three children have moved to a second storey flat in the block.
The maximum punishment for committing affray is a one year jail term and a $5,000 fine.
khush@sph.com.sg
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