KUALA LUMPUR: A private investigator was reprimanded by a magistrate for being drunk when he threatened and injured a taxi driver.
Francis James Stephen, 51, had admitted to threatening Yusoff Jani, 65, that he would "break his face, destroy his life and cause his driving licence to be suspended" at a roadside in Jalan Kepong, Sentul at 7.15am on July 31.
He also pleaded guilty to a second charge of causing hurt to Yusoff while inside the taxi that day.
But magistrate Norasyikin Sahat told him off.
"If you are drunk, anything can happen. What if you are drunk and murder somebody? Who will take care of your child and wife?
"You are matured and have to think what is the right and wrong thing," she said.
Norasyikin told Stephen that his actions could cause fear to other taxi drivers when ferrying passengers.
"You did not even know the complainant (taxi driver) but you threatened and hurt him," she said.
According to the statement of facts, Stephen used offending words against Yusoff and slapped his left cheek several times while he was driving the taxi.
When he could not tolerate the insults, Yusoff drove to Bukit Aman. During the journey, he was slapped and punched on the face before reaching the main entrance of the federal police headquarters.
Policemen on duty at the guardhouse detained Stephen.
DPP Ooi Chean Ling applied for a sentence which could serve as a lesson to the accused adding that the taxi driver's said he was traumatised by the incident.
The magistrate fined Stephen RM400 for criminal intimidation and another RM600 in default a week's jail for assault.
Norasyikin said she took into consideration that it was the first offence by the accused.
"I remind you not to be drunk anymore. You are a diabetic and alcohol is not good for you. I pity your (unwell) wife, who will take care of her," she told the accused.
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