After being caught for drink-driving, local actor Edwin Goh just pleaded guilty in court today (13 October) for one count of drink-driving.
The 28-year-old actor, who was also charged on the same day, was unrepresented in court.
As a result, he was issued a fine of $6,500 and disqualified from driving for three years.
Actor Edwin Goh was fined S$6,500 on one count of drink-driving after he pleaded guilty at the State Courts on Thursday (Oct 13).
What Happened
According to court proceedings, Goh had his dinner at a restaurant located in Golden Mile Tower at around 7pm on 6 September this year.
Afterwards, he proceeded to visit a nearby bar and had around four to five drinks before leaving the bar at about 1am the next day.
He then attempted to drive back home, but was stopped by the Traffic Police at around 2.37am on 7 September along Aljunied Road.
Officers noticed that Goh reeked of alcohol and proceeded to conduct a breath analyser test, which showed that he had indeed been drink-driving.
In particular, at least 81 microgrammes (mcg) of alcohol within 100ml of his breath.
For comparison, the legal limit to drive is 35 mcg for 100ml of breath, meaning that he had more than twice the legal amount of alcohol present in his body while driving back home.
He was then arrested for drink-driving.
Court Proceedings and Goh’s Response
In court, the prosecutor sought a fine of $6,500 and a disqualification period from driving for Goh.
Apart from that, he also brought up the fact that Goh has not committed similar crimes in the past.
“I have spent a lot of time reflecting on my mistake and I understand the gravity of my offence. I realise that this could ruin my future and has the potential to harm others as well,” Goh told the court in mitigation.
He then expressed how he hoped to be shown “leniency” since it is his first time committing such an offence, and pointed out that he was compliant to officers after being arrested as well.
Mediacorp’s Response
When speaking to CNA, a Mediacorp spokesperson shared that Mediacorp has since spoken to Goh and mentioned how he is remorseful regarding the incident.
In addition to that, the spokesperson also emphasised that the company does not tolerate any law-breaking behaviour from their artistes, and that they should demonstrate good behaviour as both fans and other people in Singapore do view them as role models.
The spokesperson added that Mediacorp will continue to communicate with Goh and will be “taking internal action” towards him with regards to this incident.
For individuals who are convicted of drink-driving for the first time, they may face up to one year in jail or a fine of anywhere between $2,000 and $10,000.
Goh is also the second Mediacorp Actor to be convicted of drink-driving in recent months; the other actor is Shane Pow. Pow’s contract with Mediacorp was terminated after his second drink-driving offence in 2021.
More About Goh
As an actor for the past 13 years, Goh is most well-known for his role as Soon Lee in Fighting Spiders, which he took on when he was just 15 years old.
He is also part of the “new generation” of 8 Dukes of Caledott Hill, which is a group of eight Mediacorp actors that demonstrate potential in the entertainment industry.
Featured Image: Instagram (@edwininja)