{"id":17176,"date":"2025-12-05T23:07:44","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T15:07:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=17176"},"modified":"2025-12-05T23:07:44","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T15:07:44","slug":"jail-term-upped-to-5-years-for-man-who-caused-accident-that-left-auxiliary-cop-in-vegetative-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=17176","title":{"rendered":"Jail term upped to 5 years for man who caused accident that left auxiliary cop in vegetative state"},"content":{"rendered":"


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SINGAPORE \u2013 An intoxicated motorist who lost control of his Lexus at the Tuas checkpoint, causing an accident that <\/p>\n

left an auxiliary police officer in a vegetative state<\/p>\n

<\/a>, had his jail term increased from 3\u00bd years to five years on Dec 5. <\/p>\n

The sentence imposed by High Court Judge Aidan Xu is higher than the four-year term that the prosecution had sought in its appeal against the original jail term handed down to Yoong Kok Kai, 44. <\/p>\n

Justice Xu also imposed the maximum fine of $10,000, which was inadvertently omitted by <\/p>\n

the district judge who sentenced Yoong on March 17<\/p>\n

<\/a>. <\/p>\n

There was no change to the 10-year driving disqualification period imposed by the lower court.<\/p>\n

In brief remarks, Justice Xu noted that Yoong \u201cdrove so dangerously that he smashed into a bollard and a gantry post on the pavement, hitting and causing very serious, life-changing injuries to the hapless officer who had taken refuge behind these objects, having seen the car careen down the road at high speed\u201d. <\/p>\n

The judge said there is no excuse for those who choose to drink large amounts of alcohol and yet drive. <\/p>\n

\u201cThose who drive at excessive speed, or in a manner posing danger to others, while intoxicated, and who cause extensive injury to other persons, as well as property damage, can only expect very heavy sentences towards the highest end of the scale,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cIf anything, I wonder whether the maximum sentences prescribed are fully adequate for the worst type of incidents; that is, however, a matter for the legislature.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yoong had chosen to drive home after three consecutive drinking sessions on the night of March 23, 2023.<\/p>\n

At about 5pm, he had 1\u00bd pints of beer in a restaurant in Fraser Street. <\/p>\n

He then drove to a restaurant in South Bridge Road, where he had one-third of a 500ml bottle of whiskey. <\/p>\n

Around 10pm, Yoong walked to a nearby KTV pub and shared a 3-litre\u00a0tower of beer and a $200 \u201cladies drink\u201d with a waitress. <\/p>\n

Despite his intention to drive to his home to Yishun, he somehow ended up driving west. <\/p>\n

He was caught on a speed camera at 12.36am clocking 134kmh on the AYE, where the speed limit is 90kmh.<\/p>\n

At 12.46 am, he reached the departure lane at Tuas Checkpoint.<\/p>\n

Mr Ng Yi Shu, a 30-year-old Certis Cisco officer who was on duty at the time, spotted Yoong\u2019s car speeding in his direction. <\/p>\n

Yoong lost control of his car while approaching a bend, and hit a divider before mounting a kerb and striking Mr Ng, who had run to hide behind a safety bollard and safety gantry in an attempt to get out of the car\u2019s way.<\/p>\n

The force of the collision uprooted the safety bollard, gantry, barrier and a traffic light.<\/p>\n

Yoong\u2019s airbags successfully deployed, saving his life. <\/p>\n

Mr Ng was thrown into the air upon impact and landed on his face. He was later found to have suffered a severe traumatic brain injury and extensive facial fractures.<\/p>\n

As a result of the accident, Mr Ng is permanently incapacitated and will not be able to eat, move, bathe, dress or even go to the toilet without help.<\/p>\n

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicholas Khoo said Yoong has made no apology or unconditional compensation to cover the medical bills, which stood at more than $455,000 as at Jan 30. <\/p>\n

Yoong has also made no restitution for the damage he caused to public property, totalling $37,292.53. <\/p>\n

He <\/p>\n

had pleaded guilty on Feb 27<\/p>\n

<\/a> to two charges: causing grievous hurt by dangerous driving as a serious offender and drink driving. A third charge of speeding was taken into consideration during sentencing.<\/p>\n

The prosecution appealed against the sentence imposed for the dangerous driving charge.<\/p>\n

The prescribed punishment is a jail term of up to six years and a fine of up to $10,000, as well as a driving ban.<\/p>\n

The prosecution initially argued for four years\u2019 jail based on a starting point of the maximum six years\u2019 jail, with a reduction of 30 per cent to account for Yoong\u2019s plea of guilt. <\/p>\n

After Justice Xu asked the prosecution to submit further arguments on the sentencing discount, the prosecution revised the reduction to between 10 per cent and 20 per cent.<\/p>\n

The judge said that while the reduction is intended to promote early resolution of cases, the circumstances in this case are egregious, requiring a heavy and harsh sentence.<\/p>\n

He said an appropriate reduction would be 15 per cent, and rounded down the sentence to five years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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