4 Years’ Imprisonment and 6 Strokes of the Cane for Causing Grievous Hurt.

A 35-year old Malaysian security guard, Joshua Thomas, was sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment and 6 strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to an offence of causing grievous hurt – he was drunk and punched his colleague in the face after he became angry that the colleague had defecated near their security post.

Here are some brief, available facts on the case:

• He pleaded guilty to 1 charge.
• He punched the victim 6 times and pushed him to the ground. The victim suffered facial fractures and a fracture-dislocation of his cervical spine, and subsequently died from his injuries. The incident took place at a worksite in Tuas South Boulevard.
• Before the incident, Joshua and the victim had shared three bottles of brandy after dinner at the security post, where they also lived in.
• Joshua became very angry and punched the victim after finding out that the victim had defecated near their security post instead of in the toilet.
• The Prosecution highlighted that Joshua was the aggressor and his acts of violence were gratuitous and senseless.
  asked the Court to impose a severe sentence on Joshua so as to deter others from carrying out similar acts of alcohol-fuelled violence.
• In sentencing him, District Judge Kenneth Yap said that there was a need to impose a deterrent sentence. The Judge also said “What you did that night was a senseless act of brutality, and you could not control the force used. As a result, you not only used excessive force, you also failed to summon assistance for him, which may have saved him”. The Court was told that Joshua had taken the victim’s money and gone to Geylang instead of helping the victim.

More information on the case may be found here.