Teen punches cyclists, then flees

Teen punches cyclists, then flees

SINGAPORE - He was walking along Woodlands Avenue 8 at about 2.10am when he saw three men cycling towards him.

As the three Chinese nationals tried to pass him, Raaga Deepan Anbalahan suddenly turned around and grabbed one of the bicycle handles. He uttered something which the rider, Mr Yang Jian Liang, did not understand.

Mr Yang used his hands to gesture that he wanted to go home, and even offered Raaga the use of his bicycle.

Raaga suddenly punched Mr Yang on the face as he was dismounting.

He then fought Mr Yang's two friends before fleeing.

But his victims caught up with him and detained him at Block 780C, Woodlands Dew, before calling the police.

Raaga was arrested. The unemployed teen, who turned 18 last week, yesterday pleaded guilty to one count of voluntarily causing hurt during the incident on June 4.

$449 MEDICAL BILLS

The attack left a bruise on Mr Yang's nose and a shaky tooth.

One of Mr Yang's friends suffered a 5mm puncture wound on his inner upper lip and the other had a laceration on his forehead.

Mr Yang, 47, had told police that Raaga appeared intoxicated.

Raaga had 12 cups of hard liquor but told the court that he was not drunk during the incident.

Community Court judge May Mesenas chided Raaga, saying: "(Mr Yang) even offered the accused his bicycle. If (Raaga) didn't want it, why punch him?"

Ms Mesenas said if he was willing to compensate the victims the $449 they had spent on medical bills, he should do it before the next hearing date.

The judge called for a pre-sentencing report to determine Raaga's suitability for probation.

She told Raaga that he should also think carefully about what he wanted to do with life and go back to school.

He will be sentenced on Dec 10.

Earlier this year, Daryl Lim Jun Liang, 19, was given a short detention order of 10 days by a district judge for attacking two foreign workers together with three friends last year.


This article was first published on Nov 5, 2015.
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