An 82-year-old man who drove without a valid licence and crashed his girlfriend’s car was sentenced on Wednesday (Oct 22) to two weeks’ jail, a fine of S$2,000, and disqualified from driving for two years.
According to Channel News Asia, Loh Chun Meng, a Singaporean, pleaded guilty to three charges: driving without a valid licence, driving without insurance, and driving without due care and attention. A fourth charge was taken into consideration.
Drove Despite Expired Licence from 1995
Court documents revealed that Loh’s driving licence had expired in November 1995 and he had not renewed it despite having the opportunity to do so. The licence was therefore no longer valid.
On the morning of Oct 30, 2023, Loh woke up at his 57-year-old girlfriend’s flat in Ang Mo Kio with pain in his knees. Deciding to visit a doctor for an injection, he took her car keys from the kitchen and drove off to a clinic at Towner Road without her knowledge, as she was still asleep.
After receiving the injection, he proceeded to drive to Block 151, Bishan Street 11, to purchase breakfast. While navigating an open-air car park there, he mistakenly stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake.
Two Collisions in One Morning
The vehicle mounted a road kerb and crashed into a metal cabinet containing gas cylinders belonging to a nearby shop. Loh then reversed the car onto the road, only to mount another kerb and strike a lamp post.
As a result of the collisions, the car sustained multiple damages including a crumpled and cracked rear windshield, along with dents, cracks, and scratches. The metal cabinet was dented, though the lamp post was left undamaged.
Police were alerted at around 9.40am when a man reported that “an old man driving a car had (banged) the gas cylinder behind his shop.”
There were no reported injuries to Loh, and court documents did not indicate he was hurt.
Prosecution: No Reasonable Explanation for Offence
The prosecutor called for two to four weeks’ jail, a S$2,000 fine, and a 24-month driving disqualification. She argued that Loh had no reasonable excuse for driving without a licence and could have woken his girlfriend to ask her to drive instead.
Defence: Retired Army Officer Facing Hardship
Loh was represented by Mr Kalaithasan Karuppaya from Regent Law, who urged the court to impose no more than 15 days’ jail, a fine of up to S$2,000, and a disqualification period not exceeding 24 months.
The lawyer stated that Loh was remorseful and noted that he is a retired Singapore Armed Forces officer who served the nation with dedication and held the rank of lieutenant.
Mr Kalaithasan shared that Loh had gone through “a period of significant hardships and isolation” following the loss of his wife to a COVID-19-related illness. Loh, a widower, now lives with the support of his daughter and suffers from several chronic medical conditions, including asthma, hypertension, high cholesterol, and osteoarthritis in both knees.
Loh appeared in court using a walking frame.
“The accused regrets his behaviour and understands that his actions have brought unnecessary stress and pain to his family,” said the lawyer, adding that Loh was under great emotional strain at the time of the offences.
Under Singapore law:
- Driving without a valid licence carries a penalty of up to three years’ jail, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both.
- Driving without insurance is punishable by up to three months’ jail, a fine of up to S$1,000, or both.
- Driving without due care and attention could lead to up to six months’ jail, a fine of up to S$1,000, or both.
Driving bans of varying durations may also be imposed for these offences.
Image via google
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