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Jun 17, 2011
Jailed 9 months after murder charge reduced
By Khushwant Singh
After spending six months in a cell facing a murder rap and the hangman's noose if convicted, Lee Beng Chuan, 58, (above) was jailed nine months for causing hurt instead. -- PHOTO: SHIN MIN
AFTER spending six months in a cell facing a murder rap and the hangman's noose if convicted, Lee Beng Chuan, 58, was jailed nine months for causing hurt instead.
He pleaded guilty on Friday to punching retiree Heng Teck Hong, which resulted in the 70-year-old victim falling backwards and sustaining head injuries when his head hit the ground.
He died from acute airway obstruction due to inhalation of vomit. A district court heard that Mr Heng was suffering from dementia and was known to help himself to leftover food and drinks at the food centre.
At about 7pm on Jan 11 2011, Lee was drinking beer there. He then walked away to smoke a cigarette only to see Mr Heng drinking the beer in his mug upon his return.
A quarrel ensued and another patron intervened to stop them coming to blows. Lee gestured to the older man to follow him out of the food centre and both then walked to the lift. They quarrelled again and Lee floored Mr Heng with a punch before walking away.
A patron called police and the retiree was declared dead by paramedics at 8.20pm after resuscitation efforts failed. Defence counsel Josephus Tan pointed out that Mr Heng had abused his client with Hokkien vulgarities.
