Woman slashed married ex-lover with penknife after he refused to go on China work trip with her

David Sun
The New Paper
November 14, 2019

With no friends or family present, the woman was left crying alone in the dock yesterday as she was sentenced to jail.

Jamie Chen Xin Yi, 23, was found guilty of slashing a married man she had an affair with, leaving him with a 22cm cut that needed 29 stitches.

She was sentenced to four months' jail on one count of voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapon.

Chen had slashed Mr Randy Lee Teck Choon, 42, on Sept 17, 2017, using a penknife with a 7cm blade after he refused to go on a work trip to China with her.

The two had started an affair about two years before the attack.

They met while she was distributing flyers for his company.

Chen had allegedly harassed Mr Lee's wife during the period, badgering her to divorce him.

The couple, who have two children, have since filed for divorce.

Chen bought tickets for herself and Mr Lee to fly to China on Sept 18, 2017.

Mr Lee claimed he had ended the affair with her prior to the trip, but had kept in touch.

The day before the planned trip, they met for lunch, and he told Chen he was not going with her as he had no money to do so.

While he was driving her home, they argued about the trip and she slapped him multiple times in the car.

When they arrived at Block 759 Woodlands Avenue 6, they were still arguing in the vehicle.

Chen took out the penknife and scratched the windows.

She alighted from the car shouting, before slashing Mr Lee on the chest. The cut has left a scar on his torso.

The court was told yesterday a report found Chen suitable for probation. But Deputy Public Prosecutor Delicia Tan objected to probation and urged the court to jail her for six months.

She said there was poor prospect of rehabilitation, as Chen did not have any familial support, having not spoken to any of her family members since April.

Her parents were also unwilling to be bonded for $5,000 to assure her good behaviour.

Crying in the dock, she told the court in mitigation that she did not try to force Mr Lee to go on the trip with her, but that he had bought the tickets with her voluntarily.

But DPP Tan told the court that Chen was not the naive young girl she looked like.

District Judge Jasvender Kaur agreed, saying it was a serious offence based on the length of the cut.

A stay of execution for the jail term was granted after Chen indicated she wanted to file an appeal. She was also offered bail of $20,000.

She has since filed an appeal against the conviction.

For voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapon, she could have been jailed for up to seven years, or fined, or both.