Ex-polytechnic lecturer gets six weeksfor punching cabby

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http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/ex-polytechnic-lecturer-gets-six-weeksfor-punching-cabby-20130527

A former polytechnic lecturer who was convicted of assaulting a taxi driver was sentenced to six weeks' jail on Monday.

David Mark Papkin, 48, an American and a Singapore permanent resident, was found guilty of striking Mr Leow Kok Hui, 43, with an umbrella and punching him at the traffic light junction of Dover Road and Dover Avenue on April 14, 2011.

He has been released on $20,000 bail pending his appeal to the High Court.

Mr Leow, who is now in the property line, had testified that he picked up Papkin near Clarke Quay at about 11.45pm on April 13, 2011. The passenger then asked to be taken to the Singapore Polytechnic.

Leow said Papkin, who was smelling of alcohol, then started to complain about taxi charges and hurled expletives at him. Along the way, the cabby answered two incoming phone calls. When Papkin told him to hang up, he tried to explain that he was using the "Bluetooth'' enabled mobile phone to speak.

When Mr Leow turned into Dover Road and stopped at the red light at the junction of Dover Road and Dover Avenue, Papkin suddenly alighted and struck the front passenger side of the windscreen with an umbrella before proceeding to walk away again. He still did not pay the fare.