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Recruiter jailed for 3 weeks following road rage incident

The former regional director of a recruitment company in Singapore has been sentenced to three weeks ' in prison for his part in a road rage incident last year.

James George Palin, a British recruiter who formerly worked at Henderson Scott, is appealing his sentence and is currently out on $15,000 bail.

According to a report in the Straits Times, Palin was accused and found guilty of punching and shattering the window of a Volkswagon vehicle on November 16 last year, injuring the two occupants.

Palin was riding his motorcycle along Tanjong Katong road when he hit the bumper of a car being driven by Chiang Pak Chien, a legal officer, who was driving with his girlfriend - now wife - Valerie Tan Hsu Phen.

According to the report, Chiang overtook Palin after the bump, after he didn't stop his bike. Palin then overtook Chiang again and braked in front of his car. Palin then walked over to the driver's side and punched the glass, which shattered over the couple.

Palin left on his bike, and both Chiang and Tan suffered cuts on their body and face, and were given one week's outpatient leave.

Palin's lawyer, Shashi Nathan, said Palin maintains the car bumped into his vehicle, but he was apologetic for what had transpired, and had offered to pay for their medical bills and damage to the car, ST reported. This offer was turned down.

District Judge Hamidah Ibrahim said Palin's reaction was "excessive" and there should be a jail term. Palin is appealing the three week sentence.

According to Palin's LinkedIn profile, he is currently "on sabbatical" from Henderson Scott.

Attempts to reach out to both Palin and his lawyer for comment have not been successful.

Image: Shutterstock

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