Nearly two years after a shocking stabbing inside a Singapore Catholic church, the man who attacked a priest during communion has been sentenced to four years and three months in jail and nine strokes of the cane.
Basnayake Keith Spencer, now 38, pleaded guilty on Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, to voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon and offences involving possession of weapons.
The sentence brings a major development in a case that stunned Singapore after a priest was attacked in front of worshippers during a children’s Mass at St Joseph’s Church in Upper Bukit Timah in November 2024.
The attack happened at the most unexpected moment
The attack took place at about 6.30pm on Nov. 9, 2024, while parish priest Father Christopher Lee Kwong Heng was distributing communion.
According to court documents reported by CNA, Spencer queued to receive communion before suddenly using a foldable knife with a 10cm partially serrated blade to stab Father Lee in the mouth.
The priest suffered a stab wound to the floor of his mouth as well as lacerations to his tongue, upper lip and mouth.
He underwent surgery and was discharged from hospital six days later. His recovery required extensive post-surgery care, including speech therapy, and he subsequently spent about 40 days on hospital leave.
Worshippers helped stop the attack
The incident could have become even more dangerous because it occurred inside a crowded church during a Mass attended by children.
Members of the congregation, including volunteers from the Archdiocesan Emergency Response team, helped disarm and restrain Spencer before police arrived.
Earlier reports said the emergency response volunteers were trained as first responders and were deployed at Masses as part of the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore’s security preparations.
The Singapore Police Force said at the time that Spencer was believed to have acted alone and that there was no indication in the preliminary investigation that the attack was an act of terrorism. Police also urged the public not to speculate about the motive while investigations were ongoing.
He was carrying more than one weapon
The case became even more serious after investigators found several other weapons on Spencer or in his bag.
Besides the knife used in the stabbing, court documents said he had a butterfly knife, penknife, fishing gaff and mallet.
The Straits Times previously reported that additional weapon-possession charges were brought against him in March 2025.
Drug use became a key issue in sentencing
Prosecutors told the court that Spencer had taken five nitrazepam tablets before the attack, saying he had taken them to calm himself and remain focused during Mass.
A toxicology test also detected a combination of opiates and other controlled drugs in his urine.
CNA reported that an Institute of Mental Health doctor found that Spencer had previously described experiencing loss of consciousness, hearing voices and bizarre thoughts after taking the tablets.
The prosecution argued that his drug-induced psychosis was self-induced and should not reduce his responsibility for the attack.
The defence, however, argued that his prior experiences did not necessarily establish that he understood the drugs could trigger psychosis on this occasion. His lawyers also said he was remorseful and ashamed of what he had done.
Judge calls attack “unprovoked and brazen”
District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan agreed that the punishment needed to reflect the seriousness of the attack and deter similar offences.
The judge highlighted that Spencer attacked Father Lee at the precise moment the priest was administering a sacred ritual, leaving him vulnerable and unsuspecting.
The court also considered the potential consequences of an attack involving a knife inside a crowded church, including the possibility of panic and further injuries among worshippers.
The judge further found that Spencer’s drug-induced psychosis was entirely self-induced and noted that this was not his first violence-related offence while under the influence of drugs.
The case had raised major concerns about safety at places of worship
After the stabbing, police increased patrols around places of worship.
The attack also prompted renewed attention to security and emergency preparedness inside Singapore’s religious institutions. Earlier reporting showed that Catholic parishes had emergency response volunteers who could act as first responders during Masses.
The incident also triggered strong condemnation from Singapore’s religious and political leaders.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said violence had no place in Singapore and stressed the importance of protecting places of worship as spaces where people seek peace, solace and community. Cardinal William Goh, head of the Catholic Church in Singapore, expressed shock and concern about the psychological impact on children and other worshippers who witnessed the attack.
From arrest to sentencing
Spencer was arrested shortly after the attack and was subsequently remanded for psychiatric assessment.
In December 2024, police brought him back to St Joseph’s Church as part of their investigations. He was later denied bail over public-safety concerns, with prosecutors describing him as highly dangerous and arguing that he posed a risk of reoffending.
The case ultimately concluded with Friday’s guilty plea and sentence.
Spencer will serve four years and three months in prison and receive nine strokes of the cane.
The sentence closes the courtroom chapter of a case that began with a seemingly ordinary moment of communion — and ended with a priest seriously injured, worshippers terrified and Singapore once again confronting questions about safety inside places of worship.
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