SHAH ALAM, Sept 6 — A lorry driver who went berserk and stabbed his girlfriend 16 times with a knife after knowing she had another boyfriend was today sentenced to 10 years’ jail for causing her death three years ago.

Judicial Commissioner Siti Khadijah Sheikh Hassan Badjenid handed down the sentence after S. Marathandawan, 29, pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of causing the death of P. Reena, 22.

She ordered Marathandawan to serve the sentence from the date of his arrest on March 15, 2007.

Marathandawan was initially charged with murder which carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

He was charged with committing the offence at house in Jalan PJS 6/5C, Desa Mentari, Petaling Jaya, about 12.30pm on March 8, 2007.

Earlier in mitigation, lawyer Suresh Thanabalasingam, who represented Marathandawan, said his client was drunk at the time of the incident. — Bernama