A Grab driver was driving in Yishun when he saw his wife holding hands with another man while walking on the pavement.

Wong Choo Boon, 53, got down from his car to confront them, and when they denied they were having an affair, he took a car tool from his boot and hit the 49-year-old victim.

On Feb. 27, Wong's wife, known as Mary, reported him to the police, saying, “My husband beat up my male friend”.

Wife drank with 'male friend'

The court heard that on Feb. 26, Mary went to the void deck of Blk 419 Yishun Avenue 11 to meet the victim, a 49-year-old Singaporean man.

She referred to him to as "her friend".

The victim was drinking beer at the time and did not want dinner, but accompanied Mary while she ate a meal at a nearby coffeeshop.

Later, both of them went to a mini-mart at Blk 419 to purchase beer to drink together through the night.

Each drank about four cans of beer before getting ready to leave at about 12:53am.

Husband confronted them for holding hands

Wong was driving past Yishun Avenue 11 when he saw Mary wheeling her bicycle along the pavement with the victim walking alongside.

Claiming he saw that the victim "wanted to kiss" his wife, Wong parked his car at the side of the road and got down to confront them. He scolded them and asked why they were holding hands and if they were having an affair.

Both of them denied it, and an argument started.

The commotion was heard by a nearby resident, who went to his bedroom window and saw Wong behaving aggressively and shouting.

Hit man on ear with metal tool

Based on the witness's account, Wong went to his car, opened the boot and took out a tool known as a metal towing eyelet.

Resembling a spanner, it was at least 21cm in length, and weighed about 0.8 kilograms.

Wong was seen walking " hastily and aggressively" towards the duo with the tool in hand.

When Mary tried to get between him and the victim, Wong pushed her, causing her to fall and scrape her knee and elbow. He then struck the victim on his left ear with the tool, drawing blood.

Wong then continued arguing with them, before kicking Mary's bicycle and leaving.

Drove up pavement in anger

However, after Wong returned to his car, he saw that his wife and the victim were still holding hands.

Angered by this, he drove onto the pavement until he reached a tree which the pair were standing behind, so that he could ask Mary to get in the car and return home.

But when he saw they continued to hold hands, he shouted something from inside the car before driving off instead.

The videos of the confrontation, recorded by the witness, were played in court.

4 to 5 cm laceration on ear

The victim was subsequently conveyed to the Acute and Emergency (A&E) Care Centre of Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

He was found to have sustained a 4-5cm long laceration on his left ear, which had to be stitched up.

He was also given painkillers and a tetanus vaccine.

The victim was discharged on the same day and issued seven days of medical leave.

Accused used dangerous weapon: Prosecution

Wong was charged with voluntarily causing hurt with an instrument and driving his car on a public way in a rash manner.

He pleaded guilty to both charges.

Another charge involving an offence of domestic violence towards his wife was taken into consideration.

The prosecution asked for a sentence of 16 to 22 weeks' jail for Wong, on account that he had used an "inherently dangerous" metal weapon more than 21cm long and that the injuries were caused to the victim's "vulnerable part of the body".

The prosecution highlighted that the offence "occurred in a residential area in full public view" and caused public alarm, and opined that Wong had shown "persistence" by pushing aside his wife to strike the victim.

Undergoing divorce proceedings with wife

Wong appeared in court on Aug. 21 without a lawyer, Shin Min Daily News (Shin Min) reported.

In mitigation, Wong expressed remorse for the act and said he is currently in the midst of divorce proceedings with his wife.

He pleaded for the judge to give him a more lenient sentence, saying that he is the sole breadwinner and he and his wife have a 14-year-old son.

Wong was sentenced to 18 weeks’ jail and banned from holding a driving licence for a year, Shin Min reported.

Top image from court documents