A judge threw out a taxi driver's appeal last Wednesday against a $1,400 fine and a year's suspension from driving.
His reason? The sentence was already lenient.
Justice Choo Han Teck said cabby Chan Siak Huat, 39, had committed two sets of serious road traffic offences within a week.
'This fact alone should warrant a higher sentence,' the judge said in judgment grounds released last Wednesday.
Chan had pleaded guilty last November in a district court to knocking down a pedestrian at a junction in Kim Seng Road in 2010. The victim Eika Banerjee was hurt and taken to hospital.
Investigations revealed that Chan was driving without a valid licence that day due to a temporary suspension.
Seven other traffic charges were taken into consideration for his sentencing. These included speeding along Nicoll Highway and driving without a valid licence and insurance coverage, which were committed within the same week of the offences in his present appeals case.
For the first charge of driving without a licence, Chan was sentenced to a $800 fine and suspended from driving for a year. For the second charge of driving carelessly, he was fined another $600.
He could have been fined up to a total of $3,000 or sentenced to nine months' jail for the two charges.
He had appealed against the one-year driving ban, which his lawyer had argued was excessive.
The lawyer urged the court to shorten the ban, arguing that the relevant section of law was meant to deal with unlicensed drivers.
Justice Choo disagreed. He said the fine and licence suspension were in fact 'a little lenient'.
'Taxi drivers as professional drivers ought to be setting the standard for courteous and safe driving,' he said.
He added that their employers are responsible for encouraging that attitude in positive ways, such as through education, training and reminders.
'While the courts are not concerned with those methods of inculcating safe driving, they will ensure that irresponsible drivers are sufficiently punished, especially where damage or injury is caused,' he said.
His reason? The sentence was already lenient.
Justice Choo Han Teck said cabby Chan Siak Huat, 39, had committed two sets of serious road traffic offences within a week.
'This fact alone should warrant a higher sentence,' the judge said in judgment grounds released last Wednesday.
Chan had pleaded guilty last November in a district court to knocking down a pedestrian at a junction in Kim Seng Road in 2010. The victim Eika Banerjee was hurt and taken to hospital.
Investigations revealed that Chan was driving without a valid licence that day due to a temporary suspension.
Seven other traffic charges were taken into consideration for his sentencing. These included speeding along Nicoll Highway and driving without a valid licence and insurance coverage, which were committed within the same week of the offences in his present appeals case.
For the first charge of driving without a licence, Chan was sentenced to a $800 fine and suspended from driving for a year. For the second charge of driving carelessly, he was fined another $600.
He could have been fined up to a total of $3,000 or sentenced to nine months' jail for the two charges.
He had appealed against the one-year driving ban, which his lawyer had argued was excessive.
The lawyer urged the court to shorten the ban, arguing that the relevant section of law was meant to deal with unlicensed drivers.
Justice Choo disagreed. He said the fine and licence suspension were in fact 'a little lenient'.
'Taxi drivers as professional drivers ought to be setting the standard for courteous and safe driving,' he said.
He added that their employers are responsible for encouraging that attitude in positive ways, such as through education, training and reminders.
'While the courts are not concerned with those methods of inculcating safe driving, they will ensure that irresponsible drivers are sufficiently punished, especially where damage or injury is caused,' he said.
PS:
This is a black sheep among cabbies.
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