The Singapore High Court established a new sentencing benchmark for drivers caught driving despite losing their licences entirely. The court set a starting jail term of three weeks along with a two-year driving ban for such offences, signaling stricter penalties against repeat offenders [1, 2, 3].
Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon explained that drivers who continue to drive after losing their licences bear greater culpability than those who never obtained a licence. "His disability to drive was the product of prior conduct serious enough to warrant the complete removal of his licence, and his decision to drive regardless reflects a persistent disregard for the safety of other road users," Menon said [1].
The ruling came in the appeal case of Garrick Eng Kwan Meng, 46, whose original sentence was increased. Eng was convicted in August 2025 to a S$5,000 fine and a two-year driving ban for driving without a valid licence. When the case reached the High Court on April 22, 2026, his jail term was raised to four weeks while the ban duration remained unchanged [1, 2, 3].
Eng’s licence was revoked in June 2018 following a fatal accident in which his wife died and a child was injured. After his disqualification ended, he failed to pass the basic theory test required to regain his licence [1, 2, 3].
On October 24, 2024, laws enforcement stopped Eng while he was driving a company-rented van. He was using a mobile phone and admitted to not having a valid driving licence [1, 2, 3].
Chief Justice Menon issued written grounds for the sentencing benchmark on May 26, 2026, making clear distinctions between those who never had licences and those who lost them due to prior misconduct [1, 2, 3]. The High Court’s ruling establishes a clear minimum penalty guideline to deter driving by drivers whose licences have been revoked.
Eng remains banned from driving for two years under the court’s order. The case sets a precedent for courts to apply at least three weeks in jail for similar offences in the future.
