Man gets jail for 'unprovoked' assault of father-in-law, who needed titanium implant in eye socket
Muhammad Fida'iy Mohamad Fauzi, 26, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and six strokes of the cane.
The sentence was in line with what the prosecution had sought after it noted that Fida'iy had perpetrated the attack against a victim more than twice his age.
The 58-year-old victim sustained extensive injuries to his face, including a deformed nose, and lasting effects on his vision and sense of smell.
Fida'iy pleaded guilty to one count of causing grievous hurt to the victim.
On Jun 21 last year, the victim met with Fida'iy at the latter's request at a fast food outlet at Loyang Point at around 9pm.
Fida'iy had asked to meet the victim over a letter supposedly written by the victim, and sent to Fida'iy's neighbour. The contents of the letter were not disclosed in court documents.
The victim denied sending the letter and asked Fida'iy to calm down when the latter behaved aggressively.
The victim then left the outlet and called his wife as he was walking along a pavement.
Angered by the victim's response, Fida'iy followed him out of the fast food outlet. While the victim was still on the phone, Fida'iy kicked his lower back so that the older man fell to the ground.
Fida'iy then delivered a string of punches to the older man's face.
After the brutal assault, Fida'iy left for Loyang Point to wash blood off his hands before returning home.
The victim's daughter later took the victim to a police station for help.
When examined at a hospital, the victim was found to have fractures to his left eye socket which resulted in restricted movement of his left eyeball. During surgery, a doctor found one side of his left eye socket severely shattered, in addition to the fractures.
His left nasal bone was also shattered, depressed and displaced. Due to this injury, his left nasal passage had near-total collapse, which obstructed his breathing. He has since lost his sense of smell on the left side.
The victim sustained upper lip lacerations which required stitches. The pain and scarring on the right corner of his mouth has since limited how far it can open, and the victim is able to chew food only on the left side of his mouth.
'UNPROVOKED AND WHOLLY GRATUITOUS'
He also has permanent scarring on his upper lip.
Doctors could not restore the victim's left eye socket and his nose. They had to insert a titanium mesh into the floor of his left eye socket, as removing it would result in his left eyeball sinking. This has resulted in the victim's vision becoming permanently impeded.
He could face difficulty with work and his daily living due to his visual handicap, stated court documents.
The prosecution urged the court to jail Fida'iy for between 18 and 22 months, with six strokes of the cane.
"The attacked was unprovoked, and wholly gratuitous. There was no reasonable explanation why the accused attacked the victim," said Deputy Public Prosecutor Lim Yu Hui.
Ms Lim also asked for a compensation order of S$8,241.19 for medical bills that the victim incurred from hospitals and for loss of income.
District Judge Cheng Yuxi granted the compensation order, and Fida'iy will have to serve 20 days' jail in-default if he does not pay.
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