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Man gets jail for assaulting wife who was 37 weeks pregnant
File photo of a pregnant woman. (Photo: iStock)
SINGAPORE: A man was sentenced to eight weeks' jail on Tuesday (Apr 26) for assaulting his wife, who was 37 weeks pregnant at the time.
Niam Jinson, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of voluntarily causing hurt, with another charge of criminal intimidation considered for sentencing.
The court heard that Niam and his 31-year-old wife lived together in a flat in Tampines at the time of the incident.
At about 2am on Feb 11 last year, Niam picked his wife up near her workplace and drove home. After arriving at the carpark, he told her to alight without him.
Niam's wife refused to leave, and said he was having an affair. This angered Niam.
While they were still in the car, he punched her on her face, head and back.
The victim turned her back towards Niam to protect herself, and he responded by pulling her hair.
Niam also grabbed his wife by her jaw to force her to face him, and threatened to kick her in the stomach.
"He did all this intending to cause hurt to the victim and thereby caused bodily pain to her," stated court documents.
The couple eventually got out of the car and went to their flat, where Niam packed his bags to leave and meet his friend.
The victim held onto the gate of the flat to prevent him from leaving.
According to charge sheets, Niam took a chopper, pointed it towards his wife and said: "I throw the knife, you want to die right?"
These actions formed the criminal intimidation charge that was taken into consideration.
The victim let go of the gate and fled from the flat. She sought treatment at a hospital and was found to have tenderness over her head, temple and hand.
"The accused knew he was in an intimate relationship with the victim as they were
husband and wife," stated court documents.
"This relationship adversely affected the victim's ability to protect herself from the hurt caused by the accused, given that she lived with him in the same household and was pregnant with his child."
Deputy Public Prosecutor Gabriel Choong sought two to three months' jail, citing the victim's physical and emotional vulnerability as she was pregnant.
"Even if the accused's attacks were not directed at her abdomen, they still posed risks to the unborn child given the late stage of the pregnancy," said the prosecutor.
He noted that Niam had specifically threatened to kick his wife in the stomach.
He also argued that the attack was sustained and happened in the narrow confines of a car, where the victim was less able to evade blows.
The maximum punishment for voluntarily causing hurt is up to three years' jail, a fine of up to S$5,000 or both.
When the offence is committed against a victim who is in an intimate relationship with the offender, the offender is liable for enhanced penalties of up to twice the maximum punishment.
