SINGAPORE - A man's rush to get to Johor Baru for a shopping trip saw him making an illegal U-turn at the Woodlands Checkpoint to beat the traffic.

But when he was ordered to rejoin the queue by Aetos auxiliary police officer Abdul Azfar Abdul Aziz, he headbutted the officer, causing him to suffer a fracture to his nose.

On Thursday (Sept 5), 34-year-old Mohammad Zulkifee Nasir was sentenced to two years and four months' jail for causing grievous hurt to his 28-year-old victim.

Zulkifee and his family were on their way to Malaysia in two vehicles on June 17, 2017, when he made an illegal U-turn into Woodlands Road at around 3.30pm.

The court heard that he did so as he wanted to reduce his travelling time.

His stepbrother Abdul Khalid Roslan, 32, who was driving the other vehicle, followed suit. As a result, they managed to cut the queue of vehicles waiting to enter the Woodlands Checkpoint.

The auxiliary officer spotted the pair and did not allow them to turn into the checkpoint.

He then signalled for both vehicles to stop, turn around and go by the proper route, to the back of the queue.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Zhou Yihong said that when Zulkifee refused to comply, the auxiliary policeman raised his voice and repeated his order. Upset, Zulkifee wound down his window to speak to the officer.

The DPP added: "A heated conversation ensued during which the accused perceived that the victim used vulgarities... The accused alighted from his vehicle and walked towards the victim to confront him."

Abdul Khalid also alighted, walked towards the officer and pushed him.

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DPP Zhou told District Judge Ng Peng Hong: "The accused then rushed forward and headbutted the victim on his nose... As a result of the headbutt, the victim started to bleed from the nose."

Abdul Khalid and Zulkifee were arrested soon after and the victim was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. Abdul Khalid was sentenced earlier to two weeks' jail for using criminal force on a public servant.

Zulkifee's lawyer, Mr Mohamed Fazal Abdul Hamid, pleaded for his client to be sentenced to a year's jail, adding: "He asks for forgiveness from his victim and promises not to commit any other offences in the future."

Zulkifee was offered bail of $10,000 and will surrender himself at the State Courts on Sept 12 to begin serving his sentence.

For causing grievous hurt to a public servant, he could have been jailed for up to 15 years and fined or caned.