Singaporean Man, 29, Jailed 5 Years And 9 Months In Australia After Running Over Cyclist Who Stole Backpack

A 29-year-old Singaporean man has been sentenced to five years and nine months in prison in Australia after running over and killing a cyclist who had allegedly stolen a backpack belonging to his girlfriend’s family.

Lincoln Ng Jing Kai was convicted of manslaughter following the death of 48-year-old Mark John Burnes in Perth, Western Australia, in May 2024.

According to the Supreme Court of Western Australia, Ng was visiting Perth on holiday with his girlfriend and her family at the time. He had also planned to propose to his girlfriend during the trip.

The incident happened after Burnes broke into their rented vehicle and stole a backpack containing personal belongings, including a passport, an iPad, cash and an AirTag tracking device.

Family Tracks Down Stolen Backpack Using AirTag

The court heard that the theft took place on the night of 23 May 2024, while the family was having dinner at a restaurant.

Burnes allegedly smashed the rear window of their rental car before taking the backpack. He subsequently discovered the AirTag inside and discarded it in a vehicle parked nearby.

After discovering the break-in, the family reported the matter to police and used the tracking information to identify the last known location of the AirTag.

The following afternoon, the family obtained another rental vehicle and travelled to a construction site where the tracker had last been detected. They had also contacted the police’s non-emergency line to request assistance.

While searching the area, they spotted Burnes riding an electric bicycle with what appeared to be the stolen backpack.

Ng’s girlfriend’s father instructed him to follow the cyclist so they would not lose sight of him while the family continued updating the police on his location.

10-Minute Car Pursuit Ends In Fatal Collision

Ng subsequently pursued Burnes through several streets in the suburb of Carlisle for approximately 10 minutes.

As the cyclist approached the junction of Lion Street and Jupiter Street, he moved onto a grass verge.

Someone inside the vehicle then reportedly told Ng to give the cyclist’s e-bike a “tap”.

Ng drove onto the verge and struck the rear wheel of the bicycle, causing Burnes to fall off.

However, the situation escalated when Ng later turned the vehicle around to face Burnes, who had stood up and was reportedly shouting threats at the family.

Ng attempted to reverse away from him, but mistakenly believed the car’s transmission was still in reverse when it was actually in drive.

He pressed the accelerator, sending the vehicle forward and striking Burnes.

The cyclist fell underneath the car, but Ng continued driving onto Lion Street. Burnes became trapped beneath the front driver’s-side wheel and was dragged for approximately 25 metres.

Bystanders eventually shouted at Ng to stop and banged on the vehicle’s windows. He eventually stopped and reversed the car, freeing Burnes from underneath.

Ng later told police that he had not realised someone was trapped beneath his vehicle.

Cyclist Dies From Multiple Injuries

Police and paramedics arrived shortly before 2pm and found Burnes lying on the road.

He was transported to hospital but was pronounced dead at 2.42pm.

A post-mortem examination found that he had suffered multiple injuries, including fractures to both sides of his ribs, lung damage and internal bleeding in his chest.

Ng was arrested at the scene.

During questioning, he admitted to pursuing Burnes and deliberately making contact with the bicycle. However, he described the initial collision as a light tap intended to knock the cyclist off his bike and buy time for police to arrive.

Judge Describes Actions As Vigilantism

Ng was initially charged with murder and pleaded not guilty. However, he subsequently pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter in August 2026.

During sentencing, Justice Terence Palmer acknowledged that Ng believed the cyclist posed an immediate threat to his family and that he had made a split-second decision under pressure.

Nevertheless, the judge criticised his decision to pursue and confront Burnes using a vehicle, describing it as extremely poor judgement and dangerous conduct.

The judge also said Ng’s actions involved an element of taking the law into his own hands, describing it as a degree of vigilantism.

The court heard that Burnes’ father had submitted a victim impact statement describing the devastating effect of his son’s death on the family, including his three children.

Ng had also written an apology letter accepting responsibility for his actions and the consequences for Burnes’ family.

Singaporean Sentenced To 5 Years And 9 Months

In considering the sentence, the judge took into account Ng’s personal background, including his upbringing in a close-knit middle-class family, academic achievements and previous leadership positions in school.

The court also noted that he had no prior criminal record in either Singapore or Australia.

His cultural background and the fact that his potential father-in-law had been directing his actions during the incident were also considered as part of the circumstances surrounding the offence.

In his remarks, Justice Palmer told Ng that his life had been characterised by leadership, but that he had failed to demonstrate it when it mattered most.

He ultimately sentenced Ng to five years and nine months’ imprisonment, backdated to 24 May 2024, the day of his arrest.

Ng will be eligible for parole after serving three years and nine months, calculated from the date of his arrest.