Strange Case: Reduced to 4 weeks Jail Term for Drink Driving

March 9, 2017  |  by admin

Straits Times 9 March 2017:  An unusual case of Drink Driving in Singapore.  Mr Wang Kim Fatt, a Business man was caught for drink driving while trying to show his chauffeur how to drive his brand-new $600,000 Maserati Gran Turismo MC Stradale, which was collected from the dealer just hours earlier.

credit: wikimedia.org

credit: wikimedia.org The Maserati Gran Turismo MC Stradale

The 53 years old Business man having 2 drink driving convictions before, was cautious and hires a valet driver to ferry him home after drinking sessions.  However, this time round, he was driving a new car which was just collected hours earlier his drinking session.  The valet was unsure of the robotised functions of the new car and actually requested Mr Wang to demonstrate to him how to drive the car.  Mr Wang took over the wheels and drove with the valet next to him.  Just 710m after they moved off, he was stopped at a police roadblock on Mayne Road. He was later arrested for failing a breathalyser test.

Sentence: 8 years ban on driving, $10K Fine, 6 weeks Jail term.

Defending Lawyer, Mr Daniel Chia’s stand:  Mr Wang was remorseful and his case was unique, due to the unique functions of his car.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Kong Kuek Foo’s verdict: Although Mr Wang’s car is unique, he was convicted 2 times before for drink driving and should understand the severity.  He could have just left the car in the car park and pick it up the next day.

Moral of the story: You know the law, DO NOT BREAK THE LAW and DO NOT TRY TO attempt to challenge the law, because ignorance is not considered and excuse especially if you are a repeated offender.

Lets revise the Act again:

Driving while under influence of drink or drugs
Section 67—(1)  Any person who, when driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle on a road or other public place —

(a) is unfit to drive in that he is under the influence of drink or of a drug or an intoxicating substance to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of such vehicle; or
(b) has so much alcohol in his body that the proportion of it in his breath or blood exceeds the prescribed limit,
shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a
Fine of not less than $1,000 and not more than $5,000 or to
Imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months and, in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine of not less than $3,000 and not more than $10,000 and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months.
                        (2)  A person convicted of an offence under this section shall, unless the court for special reasons thinks fit to order otherwise and without prejudice to the power of the court to order a longer period of disqualification, be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for a period of not less than 12 months from the date of his conviction or, where he is sentenced to imprisonment, from the date of his release from prison.
                       (3)  Any police officer may arrest without warrant any person committing an offence under this section.
Do take note of the last point where the police officer is about to arrest anyone committing an offence under this section.

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