St Joseph's Church stabbing: Priest's attacker jailed 4 years, 3 months and caned

Basnayake Keith Spencer, 38, who stabbed a priest at St Joseph's Church in November 2024, has been sentenced to 4 years, 3 months' and nine strokes of the cane. 

He pleaded guilty to his crime on Friday (Aug 21).

Apart from one charge of voluntarily causing hurt to Reverend Christopher Lee, Basnayake was handed three additional charges of being in possession of a weapon in March last year.

The Singaporean of Sinhalese ethnicity was found with a 14.5cm penknife, a flip knife and a fishing gaff, a pole fitted with a sharp hook, at the church.

Basnayake allegedly approached Father Lee, then 57, at the Upper Bukit Timah Road church shortly before 6.30pm on Nov 9.

Father Lee was conducting communion when Basnayake allegedly stabbed him, leaving him with an 8cm laceration on his tongue, a 3cm cut on his upper left lip and a 4cm cut on the corner of his mouth.

Members of the congregation subdued and disarmed Basnayake before police officers arrived at the scene to arrest him.

If found guilty of the offence of voluntarily causing grievous hurt, Basnayake could face a jail term of up to 15 years, as well as a fine or caning. 

The offence of possession of regulated weapons carries a penalty of 5 years imprisonment and caning.

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editor@asiaone.com