Man on holiday to propose to girlfriend killed e-bike rider over stolen bag

A Singaporean man has been jailed for five years and nine months for driving over and killing a man who had stolen his partner's brother's bag in suburban Perth.

In 2024, Jing Kai Ng came to Perth for a holiday and to propose to his girlfriend, but ended up involved in an incident that would change his life and take another's, leaving the victim's family "shattered".

Ng drove a rented vehicle at Mark John Burns in Carlisle after seeing him riding an e-bike with a suspected stolen backpack.

The Singaporean, who has been in custody since the incident, was charged with murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

What happened?

Ng, now 29, and his girlfriend's family arrived in Perth in May 2024, rented a KIA Carnival and went to dinner in East Victoria Park.

The Supreme Court heard that Mr Burns, who was in the area, smashed a window of the vehicle and stole a backpack.

The bag contained the passport of Wesley Teo, Ng's girlfriend's brother, as well as an iPad, cash and an AirTag tracker.

Mr Burns threw the AirTag into the tray of a parked utility while the family reported the theft to police that night.

Mr Teo activated the AirTag, noticed it moving and called police, who said to call them back when it had stabilised.

The next day, Mr Teo activated the AirTag again, and its location was at a construction site near the South Metro TAFE Carlisle campus.

He called police to report it, and Ng and the family drove to the location, where they saw Mr Burns on an e-bike carrying what looked like the stolen backpack.

Ng and the family pursued Mr Burns in Carlisle, ending up on Lion Street, while Mr Teo updated police on Mr Burns's location.

Mr Burns mounted a grass verge, and Ng was told "to give the e-bike a tap" by someone in the car, the court heard. 

Ng drove onto the verge and connected with the back wheel of the e-bike, causing Mr Burns to come off.

He then "continued forward and stopped on Juniper Street before making a U-turn to face Mr Burns", Justice Terence Palmer said. 

Mr Burns was standing and picked up his e-bike, holding it in front of him while yelling "you're a dog ... you're dead" in audio captured on CCTV. 

Justice Palmer said he accepted Ng was scared he might attack the car, and wanted to reverse.

However, the transmission was in "drive", and the Kia Carnival moved forward.

"Mr Burns became trapped under the front driver's wheel as you continued to drive approximately 25 metres up Lion Street," Justice Palmer said, "dragging Mr Burns under the car for that distance."

After bystanders tried to alert Ng to what happened, he stopped and reversed the vehicle, releasing Mr Burns.

Mr Burns, who was in his late forties, died as a result of multiple injuries.

No prior criminal history

Justice Palmer said he accepted Ng did not know someone was trapped under the car and he thought Mr Burns posed "an imminent threat to the car and its occupants".

But, he said, there was an element of vigilantism, with Ng chasing him through the streets of Carlisle, and knocking him off his bike, leaving Mr Burns likely feeling vulnerable.

"You were the one driving the car, and you were the person with ultimate control," Justice Palmer said.

Ng wrote a letter of apology, and had no prior criminal history in WA or in Singapore, with references describing him as "hard-working", "kind" and "dependable".

The court heard the loss of Mr Burns had a "devastating impact" on his entire family, with his father describing the "shattering effect" on his children.

Justice Palmer said Ng's offending was "entirely out of character and is unlikely to be repeated".

The 29-year-old will be eligible for parole after serving three years and nine months, backdated to May 2024.