GEORGE TOWN, April 1 — A couple’s romantic rendezvous by the seafront here turned deadly when the man beat his date with a motorcycle helmet after an argument, with fatal results.
In the incident on Saturday night, the 55-year-old man took his 37-year-old girlfriend by motorcycle to the seafront along Persiaran Bayan Indah where they drank alcohol together before they started quarrelling.
The woman had accused the boyfriend of infidelity, which led to him hitting her with his helmet.
Members of the public who witnessed the attack intervened to subdue the man and detained him until the police arrived at the scene.
North-east district police chief Assistant Commissioner Che Zaimani Che Awang said the victim was found lying unconscious on the ground near a tree.
“They were both drunk and there were no signs of injuries or blood on the victim but she was immediately sent to the hospital,” he said.
It is learnt that the couple had been friends of about 15 years before they started dating about four to five months ago.
Che Zaimani said the woman had been in critical condition with severe head injuries when she was admitted to hospital on Saturday.
She died from her injuries at the Penang Hospital at 5am today without regaining consciousness.
Che Zaimani said the suspect, who has seven previous criminal records for drug offences, was remanded until April 6.
The case was initially opened under Section 346 of the Penal Code for causing grievous hurt but has since been reclassified to Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
