Damansara:A mechanic received a five-year prison sentence from the Sessions Court after pleading guilty to attempting to murder a police corporal by driving into him near Damansara Damai last week.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Tan Teek Lai, 33, was sentenced by Judge Noor Ruzilawati Mohd Nor, who ordered the jail term to begin from the date of his arrest on October 10. Tan, driving a Proton Wira, was charged with ramming his car into Corporal Muhamad Firdaus Maulud, causing the officer to suffer a fracture in his left arm.

The incident occurred at Jalan Sungai Buloh-Kepong, Damansara, at 621 pm on October 9. The charge against Tan was framed under Section 307 of the Penal Code, which allows for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The case facts revealed that officers from the Mobile Patrol Vehicle unit had noticed Tan’s suspicious driving and signaled him to stop. Tan refused, instead fleeing and colliding with several public vehicles. Corporal Muhamad Firdaus attempted to extract Tan from the vehicle upon seeing him with a pistol, but Tan accelerated again, leading to the officer's injury.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurfadzlin Mahmad Zulhasnan called for a severe sentence, emphasizing public interest and the need to prevent similar offenses. She highlighted the broader impact of the incident, which involved damage to public vehicles and posed a danger to the community.

Tan, who represented himself, requested leniency by explaining his responsibility for his elderly and ailing parents. He promised not to reoffend and apologized to the police involved in the incident.