Manchester City fan' s head hit with pole at AMK coffeeshop after team's victory

The group of men had just watched their Manchester City team beat Arsenal 6-3 while having several bottles of beer.

So the last thing they expected was a heated confrontation.

But after an unknown man in an Arsenal jersey stormed up to them, things turned violent.

That night in December 2013 ended with a City fan, Mr Roger Lian Yong Hong, 32, bleeding from a gash on his head after he was hit with a metal pole.

For his involvement, Lim Leng Hwee, 38, was fined yesterday in court for voluntarily causing hurt to Mr Lian.

He also admitted to and was fined for another charge of mischief - for damaging the cell he was remanded in.

He was fined $4,000 in total.

The court heard that at about 8pm on Dec 14, 2013, Mr Lian was with two friends - Mr Andy Lim and Mr Puar Chia Yong, both 36 - at a coffee shop at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10.

The three Manchester City fans shared eight to nine bottles of beer as they watched their team beat Arsenal.

Mr Lim was talking about the match when an unknown man, who was clad in an Arsenal jersey and appeared to be in his 50s, angrily approached the table.

He then challenged Mr Lian and his two friends in Hokkien and demanded to know why they were speaking so loudly. The man added that the trio were on his "operational ground".

METAL POLE

Mr Lim replied that he did not have to shout and that he and his friends were merely enjoying themselves.

It was at this point that the man pushed Mr Lim while a group of people - whom the accused was among - started to advance towards the three Manchester City fans.

Lim Leng Hwee then went up to Mr Lian with a metal pole and hit him once on the top of the head. It left Mr Lian bleeding and in pain.

Meanwhile, Mr Lian's two friends were also assaulted by other members of the group.

Lim then kept the metal pole in a cabinet at a nearby altar as Mr Lian called the police. Mr Lian and his two friends were taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital at about 1.30am.

At the hospital, Mr Lian was found to have a 5cm wound on his left forehead and swelling over an area of his brain behind the left eye. His friends suffered minor injuries.

The court heard that after Lim was arrested and placed in remand, he was spotted by a police officer at Ang Mo Kio Police Division peeling on the floor padding of his cell.

After warnings to stop went unheeded, a police report was lodged. The cost of the damage to the cell was $1,444.50, said court documents.

In court yesterday, District Judge Liew Thiam Leng took into account that Lim had paid $100 as medical compensation to Mr Lian and had also compensated the police for damage to the cell.

Lim was fined $3,000 for voluntarily causing hurt, and another $1,000 for mischief.