A Briton who picked a fight with a fellow commuter during rush hour at Raffles Place MRT station and ended up fracturing the latter’s nose, was sentenced to four weeks’ jail by the State Courts on Tuesday (8 May).

Former recruitment consultant Benjamin John Holman, 34, had earlier pleaded guilty to one count of voluntarily causing hurt to Jason Ow Zhi Min, 30.

The prosecution, which had sought at least eight months’ jail for Holman, says it is considering filing an appeal against the current sentence.

On the evening of 3 February 2017, Holman had been at a company event during which he consumed alcohol.

Later that night, Holman was waiting on the platform at Raffles Place MRT station when Ow unintentionally bumped into him. This led to a shouting match between the two, after which Ow turned around and continued walking towards the end of the station platform.

Holman then went after Ow and pushed him in his chest. The two argued again and Holman began punching Ow in the face despite Ow pushing Holman away and telling him to back off.

The altercation lasted around 20 seconds and the two were eventually separated by passers-by. The entire incident was caught on video by cameras at the station platform.

Ow suffered lacerations and a nasal bone fracture as a result of the incident.

Deputy Public Prosecutor M Kayal Pillay had asked District Judge Kessler Soh to jail Holman at least eight months, arguing that Ow had tried to de-escalate the situation. Holman had also punched Ow multiple times in the face, said Pillay.

Seeking a two-week jail term, Holman’s lawyer Chhabra Vinit said that Ow had also been held back by members of the public to prevent him from punching Holman. Vinit added that Holman regretted his actions.

Holman’s former employer also provided a letter to say that Holman’s behaviour that evening was a departure from the norm, said Vinit.

District Judge Kessler Soh, who reviewed the footage of the incident, said that Ow was not a defenceless, vulnerable victim, and that this was “not a one-sided pummelling”. Ow too had returned some of Holman’s blows, said the judge.

Soh also noted that Holman had pleaded guilty early. In addition, the judge noted that Holman was a first-time offender, adding that if the prosecution was not filing an appeal, Holman would begin serving his sentence on 23 May.

For voluntarily causing hurt, Holman could have been jailed up to two years, fined $5,000, or both.

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