Woman who poured boiling soup on friend after argument gets 4 years' jail

SINGAPORE - A woman who poured boiling soup from a hotpot on her male friend after an argument has been sentenced to four years' jail.

Lim Si Hui, 33, pleaded guilty on Jan 2 to a charge of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to Mr Martin Boey, 26. Another charge of slapping him was taken into consideration for sentencing.

The Straits Times reported previously that Lim and Mr Boey got into an argument at FML Bar in Prinsep Street on April 19, 2022.

Lim's mobile phone was damaged in the process and she slapped Mr Boey in anger. Soon after, Mr Boey left the bar to have supper with friends at a nearby restaurant while Lim waited for her husband at the bar.

But her anger did not subside - in fact, she got angrier after she told her husband what happened and wanted to confront the victim. Her husband tried in vain to stop her.

At the restaurant where Mr Boey was dining, Lim went to his table and flipped a hotpot with boiling soup on him as he was seated.

Mr Boey experienced excruciating pain and even lost consciousness for a short while before he was taken to hospital.

He was found to have suffered burns on 31 per cent of his total body surface area and required skin grafting procedures.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Santhra Aiyyasamy sought a jail term of 5½ to six years for Lim, noting that her attack caused Mr Boey to suffer extensive injuries and permanent scars.

Lim's lawyer Amolat Singh argued for a jail term of 2½ to three years, saying there was no premeditation involved in her attack.

Mr Singh also said Mr Boey had provoked Lim by throwing her phone on the floor and trying to bend it.

For the offence of voluntarily causing grievous hurt, an offender can be jailed for life, or jailed for up to 15 years and fined or caned. However, Lim cannot be caned as she is a woman.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.