After side-swiping a taxi driver's side mirror and getting into an argument, 70-year-old Chua Jin Leong ended up losing his temper — and groping the taxi driver's private parts.

He pleaded guilty on Jul. 31 to charges of committing a rash act and voluntarily causing hurt.

The incident took place at 7:40pm on Mar. 5, 2023, near the junction of Bedok North Road and New Upper Changi Road, CNA reported.

The collision

Chua had been travelling in the left lane next to the taxi when he signalled and tried to filter into the taxi driver's lane.

But the latter — a 65-year-old man surnamed Tai — kept going straight, resulting in their side mirrors colliding.

Tai then exited his vehicle and spoke to Chua through the car window.

Chua got out of the car, and they began gesturing at each other in the middle of the road.

The altercation

Things started escalating soon after.

Chua proceeded to push Tai, who called the police for help.

In response, Chua pushed Tai some more.

They then moved to the side, after which Tai "pranced around" in front of Chua, shaking his head from side to side.

Chua's defence lawyer also told the court that Tai had also made "monkey faces" at him.

Losing his temper, Chua placed his hands around Tai's neck and then groped his private parts.

A subsequent medical report found that Tai suffered from tenderness over his scrotum and upper back as a result of the altercation. He was given four day of medical leave.

Road rage incident

The deputy public prosecutor sought three to four weeks' jail, describing it as a road rage incident that involved the assault of a vulnerable part of the victim's body.

However, the defence said there had been "significant provocation" from Tai, citing the "monkey faces" that he made at Chua as an example.

But the prosecutor rejected the idea that these amounted to provocation to the extent that it would become mitigatory for Chua.

The sentencing has been adjourned to August.

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