The victim ended up in a surgical intensive care unit due to head injuries that included skull fractures and cerebral contusions.
Yesterday, the district court meted out a custodial sentence of two years’ jail on Lee, a long-stay residential patient at IMH. He had pleaded guilty to a charge of causing grievous hurt. A similar charge of causing grievous hurt to another patient, which took place two days before this attack, was taken into consideration.
On April 12 last year, at around 10.30am, Lee saw another patient, Sim Lai Huat, 56, hurling vulgarities and spitting on the head of a male staff nurse who had turned down Sim’s request for a towel. As Sim walked past him a few minutes later, Lee ran towards him and let fly a kick at Sim’s face. After Sim fell, Lee continued to attack him, court documents stated.
Admitted to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital’s for head injuries, Sim’s condition improved after intensive care and he was moved to the general ward on April 15, but his condition worsened three days later and he died.
An autopsy report showed that the cause of death was neuroleptic malignant syndrome, an unusual and unpredictable reaction to neuroleptic medications. Such reactions are rare but life-threatening, and occur among a small proportion of susceptible individuals. The report stated that Sim’s head injury at the time of death was stable and did not cause or contribute to the death.
First referred to IMH in 2002 and found to be suffering from schizophrenia and alcohol abuse, Lee was admitted multiple times over two years and had behavioural issues, such as episodes of self-harm and physical aggression to others. In July 2004, he became a long-stay patient and was also diagnosed with anti-social personality disorder. There was recurrent aggressive behaviour towards fellow patients, nursing staff members and Cisco officers, and he was involved in numerous assault cases.
Dr Jason Lee, who did an assessment on Lee when he was remanded at IMH from Sept 2 to Oct 14, said that he was not of unsound mind at the time of his attack on Sim, and was fit to plead in court. He also noted that Lee posed a high risk of future violence and would need long-term psychiatric treatment.
Asking for an 18-month jail term, Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Si En said that Lee committed a “grave assault” on a fellow patient and continues to pose a clear risk to others. Just two days before the attack on Sim, Lee had kicked another male patient around 14 times, causing a nasal bone fracture and visual impairment.
“There is a pressing need to address and deter such displays of violence from him, as well as to protect those who are around him,” she said, adding that Lee’s rehabilitation and psychiatric treatment could be continued in prison.
In mitigation, defence lawyer Low Jianhui said that Lee had made an early plea of guilt and cooperated with the authorities, and his mental condition may have contributed to his offences.
In sentencing Lee, District Judge Eddy Tham said that a decision should be made upon his release whether he should continue to be warded in IMH.
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