An Indian national in Singapore has been sentenced to 10 months in jail for recklessly driving a lorry and causing the death of an elderly woman. Sivalingam Suresh, 40, on Wednesday, pleaded guilty to one charge of driving a lorry without due care and hitting a Chinese-origin woman.
Suresh hit the 79-year-old lady while she was walking across a zebra crossing in Singapore in February this year, The Straits Times newspaper reported. The court was informed that he carelessly drove the vehicle and hit the woman following which she suffered a head injury and died on the same day. Suresh, who has a history of errant driving, will also be disqualified from holding or obtaining all classes of driving licences for eight years after his release.
Benedict Teong, the Deputy Public Prosecutor said Suresh failed to notice the woman as he approached a zebra crossing alongside Ngee Ann Primary School, colliding with her. There was no evidence to suggest that the possible mechanical failure of the lorry could have caused or contributed to the accident, the prosecutor said.
During the hearing, Suresh said he was the breadwinner of his family in India, which includes his two-year-old son and wife who severed her hand in an accident. “It depends on me to support my family by driving in Singapore. I’m very reliant on this job, Your Honour,” he said.
DPP Teong asked the court to sentence Suresh to 10 to 11 months in jail and impose a driving ban of eight years. He cited Suresh’s history of driving offences, which included inconsiderate driving and failure to conform to a red light. For causing death by driving a vehicle without due care and attention, Suresh could have been jailed for up to three years and fined up to 10,000 Singapore dollars.
(With agency inputs)
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