Drink-driving is a serious offence as driving under the influence of alcohol can impair judgment and lead to accidents, potentially fatal.
Ex-Mediacorp actor Shane Pow was sentenced to 5 weeks’ jail following a 2nd drink-driving charge on Wednesday (14 Jul).
He also got a $6,000 fine and is banned from driving for 5 years.
TODAY Online reports that Pow’s lawyer noted Pow’s regret at his actions.
On the night of 17 Sep 2020, Pow went to a Korean restaurant along Amoy Street with 2 friends.
Even though he was driving, he drank 2 glasses of beer from 7pm to around 8.30pm and chatted until 10.30pm, drinking only water.
Pow then sent his friends home at Tiong Bahru in his van, then picked up another friend in Bugis.
A traffic police officer stopped Pow along Java Road towards Nicoll Highway at 11.20pm for routine checks.
He noted that Pow reeked of alcohol.
Pow failed his breathalyser test — he had 49mg of alcohol per 100ml of his breath. The legal limit is 35mg.
Previously, Pow was fined $1,500 and banned from driving for 1 year for another drink driving offence in 2014.
Another $800 fine for inconsiderate driving was included.
Pow was also caught attending a birthday party with 11 others at Terence Cao’s home last year when the maximum limit for gatherings was 5 guests at homes.
He was fined $300 for his participation.
Pow’s lawyer S S Dhillon had asked for 4 weeks’ jail, a $5,000 fine and a driving ban of 5 years, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported.
He described Pow’s reaction as being “completely shell-shocked” thanks to the media coverage and arrest.
Mr Dhillon also noted that Pow is “so dislocated and petrified” that he’ll never dare to be anything less than law-abiding from now on.
Pow had thought that drinking a lot of water would help clear the alcohol in his blood, and had only had beer at his friend’s insistence as it was that friend’s birthday.
As he was released from Mediacorp, he’s had to make ends meet to support his parents, a taxi driver and a housewife.
Pow now runs Sibay Shiok, a food business with Cao.
What Pow did could have resulted in grave injury to himself or others on the road.
Be it whether he’s a celebrity or not, the offence carries a heavy weight.
As shown in this case, even 2 glasses of beer can take you over the limit. The lesson here is that one should not drive if you’ve had alcohol as you won’t be able to tell how much is in your blood.
We hope that he has truly repented from his actions given his sentence and that others do not partake in drink driving.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Google Maps and IMDB.
After being slammed, she was also reprimanded by another driver for her actions.
The cat was adopted after being found abandoned and frail in a backyard.
Temperatures are expected to stabilise after the weekend.
The fire involved an overheated stove and SCDF used a water jet to put out…
He got up slowly and walked to a stopped GetGo car after being honked at.
The restaurant apologised in advance if customers catch their new canine hire napping.