Adri Satryawan Pratama v Public Prosecutor: Careless Driving Appeal
Adri Satryawan Pratama appealed to the General Division of the High Court of Singapore against a six-week imprisonment sentence imposed by the District Judge for careless driving causing grievous hurt to Goh Paw Leng. The High Court, presided over by Justice Vincent Hoong, dismissed the appeal, finding the original sentence appropriate given the level of harm and culpability, and upholding the disqualification and prohibition orders. The judgment was delivered on 10 October 2024.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
General Division of the High Court of the Republic of Singapore1.2 Outcome
Appeal Dismissed
1.3 Case Type
Criminal
1.4 Judgment Type
Ex Tempore Judgment
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Appeal against a six-week imprisonment sentence for careless driving causing grievous hurt. The High Court affirmed the original sentence.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Prosecutor | Respondent | Government Agency | Original Sentence Upheld | Won | Sunil Nair of Attorney-General’s Chambers Gabriel Lee of Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Adri Satryawan Pratama | Appellant | Individual | Appeal Dismissed | Lost |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Vincent Hoong | Judge of the High Court | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Sunil Nair | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Gabriel Lee | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Mohamed Niroze Idroos | Niroze Idroos LLC |
4. Facts
- The Appellant pleaded guilty to careless driving causing grievous hurt.
- A second charge of careless driving causing hurt was considered for sentencing.
- The victim, Goh Paw Leng, sustained injuries to vulnerable parts of her body.
- Goh Paw Leng underwent multiple non-minor surgical procedures.
- Goh Paw Leng was hospitalised for 30 days and given 139 days of medical leave.
- The accident occurred on a slip road leading to the CTE.
- The Appellant was driving a lorry at the time of the accident.
5. Formal Citations
- Adri Satryawan PratamavPublic Prosecutor, Magistrate’s Appeal No 9085 of 2023, [2024] SGHC 258
- Public Prosecutor v Adri Satryawan Pratama, , [2023] SGDC 102
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Medical report issued | |
| Clarification report issued | |
| District Judge sentenced the Appellant | |
| Appellant’s Written Submissions dated | |
| Respondent’s Written Submissions dated | |
| Judgment delivered |
7. Legal Issues
- Careless Driving
- Outcome: The court upheld the original sentence for careless driving causing grievous hurt.
- Category: Substantive
- Sentencing
- Outcome: The court found that the original sentence was not manifestly excessive or otherwise wrong.
- Category: Procedural
8. Remedies Sought
- Substitution of imprisonment term with a fine
9. Cause of Actions
- Careless Driving Causing Grievous Hurt
- Careless Driving Causing Hurt
10. Practice Areas
- Criminal Appeals
- Traffic Violations
11. Industries
- No industries specified
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sue Chang v Public Prosecutor | High Court | Yes | [2022] SGHC 176 | Singapore | Established the sentencing framework for careless driving offences at the time of the original sentencing. |
| Chen Song v Public Prosecutor and other appeals | High Court | Yes | [2024] SGHC 129 | Singapore | Expressed a preference for a different sentencing framework for careless driving offences. |
| Adri Anton Kalangie v Public Prosecutor | N/A | Yes | [2018] 2 SLR 557 | Singapore | Cited for the principle that judicial pronouncements are by default retroactive in nature. |
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Road Traffic Act (Cap 276, 2004 Rev Ed) s 65(1)(a) | Singapore |
| Road Traffic Act (Cap 276, 2004 Rev Ed) s 65(3)(a) | Singapore |
| Road Traffic Act (Cap 276, 2004 Rev Ed) s 65(6)(d) | Singapore |
| Road Traffic Act (Cap 276, 2004 Rev Ed) s 65(4)(a) | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Careless driving
- Grievous hurt
- Sentencing framework
- Disqualification from driving
- Prohibition from driving
- Mitigating factors
- Level of harm
- Level of culpability
15.2 Keywords
- Careless Driving
- Grievous Hurt
- Road Traffic Act
- Sentencing Appeal
- Singapore High Court
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Traffic Violations | 95 |
| Road Traffic Act | 95 |
| Sentencing | 80 |
| Criminal Law | 75 |
| Criminal Procedure | 70 |
| Personal Injury | 30 |
| Torts | 20 |
16. Subjects
- Road Traffic Accidents
- Criminal Law
- Sentencing