PUBLIC PROSECUTOR v M Krishnan
Outcome
Sentence imposedI sentenced the accused to 20 years’ imprisonment, backdated to the date of his arrest.
Source: [2024] SGHC 128, High Court (General Division), decided 15 May 2024. Read directly from the judgment.
Key facts
| Court | High Court (General Division) |
|---|---|
| Decided | |
| Judge | Valerie Thean |
| Charges / claim | Criminal Procedure and Sentencing |
| Outcome | Sentence imposed |
| Sentence / award | 20 years’ imprisonment |
| Counsel | Attorney-General's Chambers, Ramesh Tiwary Advocates & Solicitors, Delicia Tan, Joelle Loy, Ramesh Chandr Tiwary, Timotheus Koh |
Source: [2024] SGHC 128, High Court (General Division), decided — eLitigation. Updated .
Catchwords
Practice Areas
Judges (1)
Counsel (6)
Parties (2)
Case Significance
Public Prosecutor v M Krishnan [2024] SGHC 128 was decided in the General Division of the High Court of Singapore on 15 May 2024 by Valerie Thean J, in Criminal Case No 18 of 2024, following hearings on 12 and 22 April 2024. The accused, M Krishnan, pleaded guilty to a charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, punishable under s 304(a) of the Penal Code (Cap 224, 2008 Rev Ed). He was 34 at the time of the offence and 40 at the time of the decision. Between 11.29pm on 16 January 2019 and 1.33am on 17 January 2019, after drinking heavily, he repeatedly hit his live-in partner at their shared home and she died as a result. A psychiatric report concluded that he suffered from Intermittent Explosive Disorder, which contributed to his offending and was given an additive effect by his intoxication, though these conditions did not sufficiently impair his mental responsibility to qualify for the partial defence of diminished responsibility. On 22 April 2024, Valerie Thean J sentenced him to 20 years' imprisonment, backdated to the date of his arrest on 17 January 2019.
[2024] SGHC 128 explained
PUBLIC PROSECUTOR v M Krishnan ([2024] SGHC 128) is a Singapore judgment decided by the High Court (General Division) on 15 May 2024. It is categorised under Criminal Procedure and Sentencing. Within this corpus it has since been cited by 1 other reported Singapore judgment, a measure of how often later decisions have referred to it. This page summarises what the reported decision covers and links the primary sources — the full judgment, the statutes it cites, and the other cases it engages with — so the decision can be read in context. It is reference information, not legal advice, and it does not state the outcome or any holding beyond what the official judgment records.
What is [2024] SGHC 128 about?
PUBLIC PROSECUTOR v M Krishnan ([2024] SGHC 128) is a High Court (General Division) decision from 2024. Its published catchwords are “Criminal Procedure and Sentencing – Sentencing”, which indicate the subject matter the judgment addresses. The full reasoning and orders are in the judgment itself, linked below.
Which legislation does [2024] SGHC 128 consider?
The judgment refers to Penal Code (Cap 224). The statutes cited are listed in full on this page, each linking to its primary text.
How influential is [2024] SGHC 128?
Within this corpus, [2024] SGHC 128 has been cited by 1 later reported Singapore judgment. That count reflects references from other decisions held in this corpus only and is a conservative lower bound on how often the case has actually been cited.
Summary
The accused pleaded guilty to a charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under section 304(a) of the Penal Code, arising from his repeatedly hitting his live-in partner at their shared home after drinking heavily, causing her death. A psychiatric report concluded that the accused suffered from Intermittent Explosive Disorder which, together with his intoxication, contributed to his offending, though these conditions did not sufficiently impair his mental responsibility to qualify him for the partial defence of diminished responsibility. The General Division of the High Court sentenced the accused to 20 years' imprisonment, backdated to the date of his arrest, citing his history of abuse and disregard for his partner's life and the need for deterrence, retribution and protection of the public.
What was the sentence in Public Prosecutor v M Krishnan [2024] SGHC 128?
On 22 April 2024, Valerie Thean J sentenced M Krishnan to 20 years' imprisonment, backdated to his arrest on 17 January 2019, after he pleaded guilty to culpable homicide not amounting to murder under s 304(a) of the Penal Code.
What happened in Public Prosecutor v M Krishnan [2024] SGHC 128?
Between 11.29pm on 16 January 2019 and 1.33am on 17 January 2019, after drinking heavily, M Krishnan repeatedly hit his live-in partner at their shared home, causing her death. He pleaded guilty to culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Did M Krishnan qualify for diminished responsibility in [2024] SGHC 128?
No. A psychiatric report concluded M Krishnan suffered from Intermittent Explosive Disorder, with an additive effect from intoxication, but it was not disputed that these conditions did not sufficiently impair his mental responsibility to qualify for the partial defence of diminished responsibility.
Statutes Cited
Cases Cited (19)
Cited By (1)
Related cases
Other Singapore judgments involving the same parties or counsel.
Referenced in
Statutes interpreted in this judgment
Judgment
Read the full judgment on the official Singapore Courts portal.
Read on eLitigationSource: eLitigation ([2024] SGHC 128)