In Oct 2020, a knife attack at a Boon Lay FairPrice outlet left Mr Lee Jing Chwen’s face and body covered with blood.
On Tuesday (27 Apr), his assailant, the then 18-year-old James Teck Jing You, was sentenced to a jail term spanning 3.5 years, plus 8 strokes of the cane.
Teck slashed Mr Lee’s face multiple times as the latter refused to help him buy cigarettes.
The deep knife cuts on Mr Lee’s face left him permanently scarred and disfigured.
On 7 Oct 2020, the FairPrice outlet at Boon Lay Shopping Centre was temporarily closed following a knife attack.
18-year-old Teck had slashed a stranger’s face multiple times with a 10-cm blade, reports TODAY.
Apparently, Teck approached Mr Lee in the queue to enter the supermarket. He asked Mr Lee, who was a complete stranger, if he could buy cigarettes for him.
The legal age to purchase tobacco then was 20. Mr Lee reportedly turned down Teck’s request repeatedly.
According to TODAY, Teck felt disrespected and began assaulting the 23-year-old victim with a knife.
The Straits Times (ST) reports that Teck had specifically aimed at Mr Lee’s face, as facial injuries would likely make it harder to retaliate or defend himself.
Teck’s force of the attack was so blunt that it allegedly cut off strands of the victim’s hair.
As a result, Mr Lee received 40 days of medical leave, and needs to live with permanent disfigurement and scarring.
On Tuesday (27 Apr), Teck pleaded guilty to causing grievous hurt with a knife and possessing the weapon in a public.
The maximum jail term for voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons is 15 years.
According to TODAY Online, Teck has been diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder — displaying ignorance towards others’ rights and feelings.
He also reportedly had obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as a child.
But there appeared to be no causal link between his OCD and the crime, the psychiatrist said.
The psychiatrist also said that he still would’ve had control over his actions despite his antisocial personality disorder diagnosis.
The knife assault inside a busy supermarket certainly caught many by surprise.
There’s no room for such brazen assaults in broad daylight, and most will agree that the assailant received his due punishment.
We hope that Mr Lee will recover from the traumatic experience.
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Featured image adapted from Facebook and Google Maps.
The authorities have investigated and closed the incident with no follow-ups required, MFA said.
He crossed the border daily in hopes of buying a house for his family.
On a few days, the thundery showers might extend into the night.
His church has urged parishioners to refrain from visiting him as he heals.
The kitten will be put up for adoption after its injuries are cured.
The toasts were barely a few centimetres thick.