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The man who spent two more days behind bars for a state court error tried to distract himself from thinking about the overtime he spent in jail.
During those two nights, he went round and round in the jail cell he shared with three others, Teo Seng Tiong said yesterday.
The fish farmer was kept awake some nights during his seven weeks in prison because of the incessant hum of the fan and the noise his cellmates made.
But from August 22-23, it was the fact that he should have been a free man that weighed heavily on the 59-year-old man’s mind.
“During the day, I could distract myself by talking to other people, but at night when no one else was awake, I kept thinking about it,” Teo said in Mandarin.
“It was as if time did not move.”
Earlier this month, it was revealed that due to a clerical error by a state court official, Teo ended up in jail for two more days.
He declined to say more, pointing to the confidentiality agreement he had signed earlier this week for an undisclosed sum in compensation from the government.
Teo, who is married with two adult children, was sentenced on January 14 to seven weeks in jail and a $ 500 fine for causing harm by reckless act and for failing to file a police report one day after an accident.
The incident occurred on December 22, 2018 in Pasir Ris.
In a video that was widely broadcast, cyclist Eric Cheung Hoyu is seen striking the left side mirror of Mr. Teo’s truck before the vehicle suddenly veers to the left toward Mr. Cheung.
The British citizen, who turns 36 this year, can be seen falling from his bicycle onto the edge of the grass at the side of the road.
He was fined $ 2,800 for mischief and for failing to ride his bike in an orderly and careful manner.
KEEP THINKING ABOUT IT
During the day, I could distract myself by talking to other people, but at night, when no one else was awake, I kept thinking about it … It was as if time did not move.
MR. TEO SENG TIONG, on the two extra days you spent in jail for a clerical error.
In addition to the jail sentence and fine, Mr. Teo was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s license for two years.
They told him that if he couldn’t pay the fine, he would have to serve another three days behind bars.
After unsuccessfully appealing to the Superior Court, Teo paid the fine and began serving his sentence on July 20.
While the Superior Court notified the state courts that the fine had been paid, the state court official handling the case did not update the state court case management system to reflect this, the state courts said on 2 May. September.
The error was discovered only when Mr. Teo’s attorney, Mr. Tan Hee Joek, sent a receipt for the fine payment to the Singapore Prison Service.
Teo was released on August 24, two days after he should have been, with a third of the three days in jail in lieu of the remitted fine.
Mr. Teo has committed crimes in the past that include willfully causing injury, reckless driving, speeding and running a red light.
But he insists his recent incarceration taught him “profound” lessons and was a “blessing in disguise.”
“(It gave me) the opportunity to learn discipline, as well as to control (my) temper and let things slide,” he said.
Now he wants to put the matter behind him, although he has been questioned about the amount of compensation.
“I’m nervous because there is a lot of pressure and I always have to be careful what I say (because of the confidentiality agreement).
“Everyone, whether I know them or not, has been asking me how much I got.”
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