Ex-national basketball player in drink-driving accident jailed

A former Singapore national basketball player has been sentenced to five days’ jail and a fine of $5,000 after he caused an accident while drink driving.

- Christine Tan

Toh Qing Huang, 29, was not spared jail time despite his lawyer asking the judge to consider his “history of service to the nation”.

He pleaded guilty on July 23 to one count of drink driving and one count of driving without due care and attention.

Toh, who represented Singapore in the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia, was also disqualified from holding or obtaining driving licences for 36 months from his date of release.

A breath analysing device test conducted at the Police Cantonment Complex on the day of the accident in November 2023 found Toh had 69 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath, almost twice the legal limit of 35 micrograms.

The court heard that Toh, who was drinking in a bar at Hotel Chancellor in Cavenagh Road at around 11pm on Nov 29, had downed six glasses of alcoholic drinks.

He stopped drinking at about 3am the next day and headed to a nearby eatery for supper.