SINGAPORE - The traffic light was red and a couple were crossing the road - but that did not stop Yue Kim Ming from speeding past them on his power-assisted bicycle.

Although he narrowly missed the pair, the 63-year-old welder wrongly thought Mr Chang Yong Peo had hit him and went to confront him.

In the ensuing row Yue rained a flurry of punches at 69-year-old Mr Chang, even after he had hit the ground, and on Wednesday (May 2) he was sentenced to five weeks in jail for the assault.

The court heard that Yue had been riding his electric bicycle at between 30-40kmh on a stretch of Hougang Avenue 7 on May 18 last year - even though the maximum speed limit for e-bikes is 25kmh.

The Singaporean sounded his horn repeatedly at the pedestrians and as he whizzed past them Mr Chang raised his hands to prevent a plastic bag he was holding from hitting Yue.

Thinking Mr Chang had hit him, Yue got off his bicycle and shouted aggressively at him.

"As the victim did not hit the accused at all, the victim, puzzled by the accused's actions, asked the accused what his problem was," said Deputy Public Prosecutor Grace Chua.

Yue began punching Mr Chang in the face and chest, and continued to do so even after Mr Chang fell to the ground. He also pulled Mr Chang's wife away when she tried to intervene.

Two passers-by came to Mr Chang's aid and pulled Yue away from him.

Yue rode off, and escaped one of the passers by who drove after him in a car, but police managed to track him down.

Mr Chang suffered suffered facial injuries and chest pains.

Yue pleaded guilty to one charge of committing a rash act and another of voluntarily causing hurt. In mitigation, Yue's lawyer, Mr Sarbrinder Singh, said Yue had acted out of character and was remorseful.

He urged the court to impose a fine or a short jail term, adding that Yue has offered a letter of apology and monetary compensation to Mr Chang.

The court granted Yue's request for a two-week deferment to settle his personal affairs. He will surrender himself to the court on May 18.

Yue could have been jailed for six months and fined $2,500 for committing a rash act. For voluntarily causing hurt, he could have been jailed for two years and fined $5,000.