While out on bail after a brutal assault on a friend, a man attacked an elderly neighbour, causing him to suffer multiple facial fractures.

Mohamed Ayoob Salleh, who turned 58 last week, was jailed for five years yesterday after pleading guilty to two counts of causing grievous hurt.

He also admitted to one count of causing hurt by performing a rash act at a hawker centre. Three other charges for similar offences were taken into consideration during sentencing.

The court heard that Ayoob and a friend, Mr Satya Nand Ram Avadh Rai, 55, were drinking at a basketball court when they got into an argument, sparked by Mr Satya repeatedly asking Ayoob for money to buy more alcohol. The two were drinking near Block 209, Boon Lay Place, at around 2.30pm on Sept 13, 2016.

Defence lawyer Wee Hong Shern told the court that when his client refused to hand over the cash, Mr Satya abused him with vulgar language.

Ayoob then punched his friend who fell to the ground. After landing more blows, Ayoob picked up a drain cover, weighing more than 19kg, and used it to hit Mr Satya's face until he lost consciousness.

Mr Satya was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) where he was diagnosed with a fracture to his left eye socket and a broken nose. Deputy Public Prosecutor Charleston Teo said police arrested Ayoob later that day.

On June 23 last year, while out on bail, Ayoob assaulted a neighbour, Mr Jamaldin Miah Brahim Miah, 76, before fleeing the scene at Block 209, Boon Lay Place.

The court was told that Mr Jamaldin had a dispute with Ayoob's sister. An ambulance rushed the elderly man to NTFGH and a medical examination revealed that he had multiple facial fractures. Police arrested Ayoob the next day.

About two weeks prior to this incident, on June 10, Ayoob was involved in an altercation with a worker of a satay beehoon stall at a Boon Lay Place hawker centre at around 7pm.

The worker had bought two bottles of beer and four cans of stout and placed them on a table. He planned to consume them after serving his customers.

Ayoob, who walked by minutes later, helped himself to the drinks. He got angry when the man tried to stop him and flung one beer bottle at the stall, hitting the worker's wife, Ms Tan Lye Hock, 66, who was packing food, on the head. She suffered a minor injury.