Beach Road slashing: Man gets 19 years' jail, caning for attempted murder of wife

A 49-year-old man, who relentlessly slashed his wife outside a row of restaurants in Beach Road, was sentenced to 19 years' jail and eight strokes of the cane on June 3.

- Selina Lum

Cheng Guoyuan had pleaded guilty on May 20 to a charge of attempted murder over the vicious attack, which took place at about 5.30pm on April 14, 2022.

He admitted that he had intended to kill Ms Han Hongli, 44, if she refused to confirm that she would not expose wrongdoing that he had committed against their daughter, 23, from her previous marriage.

Cheng admitted that he was angry with his wife for refusing to forgive him for what he had done to their daughter, and he hated that Ms Han had a hold over him.

The nature of the wrongdoing was not disclosed in court.

Ms Han, whose left hand was almost severed during the attack, is now blind in her left eye. Her face is permanently disfigured, and the functioning of her arms is impaired.

The tip of her right ring finger was also amputated.

In sentencing, Justice Audrey Lim said the relentlessness of Cheng's "vicious and cruel" attack aggravated his crime.

The judge noted that Cheng had repeatedly slashed Ms Han with a cleaver until the blade broke off from the handle.

After Ms Han managed to run away, Cheng did not give up but went to look for her to renew his attack with another cleaver he found.