Salesman smashes decanter on man's face

When a stranger tried to chat up a woman in a nightclub, she pulled her male friend to her side to fend off the unwanted attention.

Her action caused the stranger to smash a plastic decanter on the face of Mr Tan Soon Tiang, 37.

The blow was so powerful that the decanter shattered and left Mr Tan's nose permanently disfigured.

Sales executive Desmond Koh Wee Boon, 28, was yesterday jailed six weeks for causing hurt to Mr Tan at Mandopop club Shanghai Dolly at Clarke Quay at about 2am on March 31 last year.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Kavita Uthrapathy had called for a jail term of "six to eight months" as a "weapon had been used" and the incident was "unprovoked".

According to court papers, Mr Tan and three others, including two women, were at a table in the club while Koh and his group were at a nearby table.

When Mr Tan went to another table to talk to a friend, Koh took the opportunity to chat up the two women.

One of them, Ms Lim Siew Ping, 32, offered him some drinks as she was unable to finish them.

Koh then asked for their phone numbers and whether they had boyfriends.

'Boyfriend'

To fend off Koh's advances, Ms Lim pulled Mr Tan over to her and introduced him as her boyfriend.

Another patron who saw Koh attack Mr Tan called the police and Koh was later arrested.

DPP Kavita noted that the attack had caused "permanent" damage to Mr Tan and he now has a lump at the tip of his nose as a result of the fracture caused by Koh's blow.

A medical report by the Singapore General Hospital said Mr Tan was bleeding from both nostrils when examined and the nose also appeared "deformed".

Koh could have been jailed up to two years and/or fined up to S$5,000 for causing hurt.

This article was first published on July 16, 2014.
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