1-year’s mandatory treatment order for doctor who threw wine bottle at car

A 55-year-old Singaporean ophthalmologist (eye doctor), who is also head of ophthalmology at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH), was sentenced to 1-year’s mandatory treatment order (MTO) after pleading guilty last month to committing a rash act.

• He pleaded guilty in the State Courts of Singapore. He after pleaded guilty to one count of committing a rash act in 2019 by flinging a wine bottle at another man’s private-hire car and causing more than $2,000 in damage. He made compensation of this amount to the driver.
• At the material time, the doctor had a driving dispute with the other driver. The other driver waved his right hand in apology, but the doctor remained angry and drove after him while repeatedly sounding his horn. When the private-hire car’s passengers alighted later, the doctor pulled up alongside, wound down his window and started shouting at the driver who drove away as he wanted to avoid a confrontation but the doctor continued following him before throwing the bottle at the private-hire car.
• The Court was told that the man was previously diagnosed with major depressive disorder and he was undergoing treatment but presented no danger to his patients. His psychiatrist said that he was suffering a “deterioration in his mental state” recently.
• It is unclear whether he was represented by a Criminal Defence Lawyer during the presentation of his mitigation plea and when the Court imposed the sentence.

Causing death by rash or negligent act is an offence under section 304A of the Penal Code (Cap 224) which states:

304A. Whoever causes the death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide, shall be punished —
(a) in the case of a rash act, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 5 years, or with fine, or with both; or
(b) in the case of a negligent act, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years, or with fine, or with both.

More information on the case may be found here.