Singaporean tourist jailed in Australia for fatally running over thief who stole his backpack

A 29-year-old Singaporean tourist has been sentenced to 5 years and 9 months in prison in Australia after he chased a man who stole a backpack from his rental car and fatally ran him over. The incident took place in Perth in May 2024.The incident took place in Perth in May 2024. (Unsplash/Representational image)According to a report by The Independent, Lincoln Ng Jing Kai was sentenced on Monday by the Supreme Court of Western Australia over the death of Mark John Burnes. He was initially charged with murder but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter in August.Kai was visiting Perth for an 8-day holiday with his girlfriend and her family. He had also planned to propose to his girlfriend during the trip.On May 23, 2024, the group parked their rental car near a restaurant in East Victoria Park. They left a backpack containing a passport, an iPad, cash and an Apple AirTag in the boot of the vehicle. Burnes, who noticed the bag, smashed the car’s rear window and stole it.The following day, the family used the AirTag to track the stolen backpack to an area near a construction site. They contacted the police and went to the location, where they spotted Burnes riding an electric bicycle with what looked like the stolen bag.Kai’s girlfriend’s father instructed him to follow Burnes, prompting a chase that lasted approximately 10 minutes through the streets of Carlisle, a suburb of Perth. During the pursuit, his girlfriend’s brother remained in contact with the police.When Burnes rode onto a grassy verge, someone sitting in the back of the car reportedly told Kai to give the bicycle “a tap”. Kai subsequently struck the rear wheel of the bicycle, causing Burnes to fall.Burnes then shouted threats at Kai, who feared that he was about to be attacked. In a moment of panic, Kai pressed the accelerator, thinking the car was in reverse. However, the vehicle was actually in drive.The car struck Burnes, who went under it. Kai continued driving for approximately 25 metres while Burnes remained caught under the front wheel, despite bystanders shouting and banging on the car’s window. Kai eventually reversed the vehicle, freeing Burnes, and waited at the roadside for the police to arrive. Burnes was later pronounced dead at a hospital.(Also Read: Australian fitness influencer, 23, hospitalised in Bali after contracting life-threatening brain infection)What did the court say?During sentencing, Justice Terence Palmer said Kai’s actions involved “an element of taking the law into your own hands and a degree of vigilantism”. The judge acknowledged that Kai had not intended to seriously injure Burnes and had believed that the man posed an immediate threat.He also accepted that Kai had made a split-second decision under pressure. However, the judge noted that if Burnes was a threat, it was because Kai was using a car to chase and confront him, and that Burnes was vulnerable on an e-bike.“While I accept that you may have panicked at the time, I am not satisfied that you were so addled to not appreciate the obvious risk associated with driving towards Mr Burnes,” Justice Palmer said.The court also considered the role of Kai’s prospective father-in-law, who had encouraged him to pursue Burnes. However, the judge maintained that Kai, as the driver, had ultimate control over the situation.While determining the sentence, the judge took into account Kai’s guilty plea, clean criminal record and genuine remorse. He also acknowledged that the incident was out of character and that Kai had strong prospects for rehabilitation.Kai’s sentence has been backdated to May 24, 2024, when he was first taken into custody. He will be eligible for parole after serving 3 years and 9 months.