The argument started over a tip the patron's friend had given. It ended with the club manager putting a knife on the patron's neck.
For his act, the manager, Chia Kay Hung, 41, was sentenced to six weeks' jail yesterday after pleading guilty to one charge of criminal intimidation.
The incident happened at Club Jade at Peace Centre in Sophia Road on June 22 last year.
According to court papers, Mr Chua Tee Siang, 36, had gone to the club with a friend for a KTV singing session that night.
When the session was over and the bill came, a dispute broke out after a female staff member felt that the tip given by Mr Chua's friend had too small.
Chia stepped in and asked Mr Chua and his friend to step out of the club, where they got into another argument.
BLADE
At one point, Chia went to a bar counter in the club and took out a knife with a 27cm-long blade.
He placed it on Mr Chua's neck for a brief moment before removing it, intending to cause him alarm.
Chia's colleague intervened and took the knife from him while Mr Chua's friend called the police at about 8.30pm.
In mitigation, Chia's lawyer, Mr Johnny Seah, said it was Chia's duty as manager of the club to maintain the peace.
Chia had invited the victim out of the club to prevent a commotion.
He said Chia had felt threatened and had "foolishly" taken the knife from the counter and put it against the victim's neck, but had put it down "straight away".
He also said that Chia, who had no history of previous similar incidents, had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and was remorseful.
But Deputy Public Prosecutor Dora Tay said Chia had not mentioned feeling threatened in police statements.
Chia's sentence will start on May 12 to give him time to settle family matters.
- See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/crime/h....fn9AqF65.dpuf
