SINGAPORE — Nearly two years after a shocking stabbing at St Joseph’s Church in Upper Bukit Timah, the man who attacked a Catholic priest during communion has been sentenced to four years and three months in jail and nine strokes of the cane.
Basnayake Keith Spencer, 38, was sentenced on Aug. 21, 2026, after pleading guilty to voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon and offences involving the possession of weapons in public without a lawful purpose.
The case stems from the Nov. 9, 2024 attack, when Spencer joined a communion queue during a children’s Mass at St Joseph’s Church. When it was his turn to receive communion from parish priest Father Christopher Lee Kwong Heng, he suddenly pulled out a foldable knife and stabbed the priest in the mouth.
The attack happened at about 6.28pm, with around 900 people attending the Mass, according to court proceedings reported by CNA.
Father Lee, who was 59 at the time of the latest court report, suffered a stab wound to the floor of his mouth as well as cuts to his tongue, upper lip and mouth. He underwent surgery and was discharged six days later, but required extensive follow-up treatment, including speech therapy, and spent about 40 days on hospital leave.
Attack happened during a children’s Mass
The circumstances of the assault made the incident particularly disturbing.
Spencer had entered the church around 5.30pm and sat in the hall before the Mass. During communion, he initially joined another queue before moving to the line for Father Lee.
He was the last person in Father Lee’s queue.
When he reached the priest, Spencer was standing about an arm’s length away. Without warning, he took a partially serrated foldable knife from his back pocket and attacked.
Father Lee attempted to restrain him after being stabbed, while church volunteers and an off-duty police officer intervened. The attacker was eventually subdued and held until police arrived.
More weapons were found
The investigation later revealed that Spencer had brought several other weapons.
Besides the approximately 10cm partially serrated foldable knife used in the stabbing, authorities found a butterfly knife, penknife, fishing gaff and mallet either on him or in his bag.
The discovery of multiple weapons was among the factors considered in the proceedings.
Spencer had also taken five nitrazepam tablets before the attack. Prosecutors said he was voluntarily intoxicated and argued that his drug-induced psychosis was self-induced. The defence, however, disputed whether he could reasonably have known that the drugs would trigger psychosis and said he had taken them in an attempt to calm himself and remain focused during Mass.
Court calls attack “brazen” and unprovoked
District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan said the attack was unprovoked and brazen, stressing that Father Lee was attacked at the moment he was performing a sacred ritual and was therefore unsuspecting and vulnerable.
The judge also highlighted the potential consequences of an attack in a crowded church, including the possibility of panic and further injuries among worshippers.
Prosecutors had argued that the sentence should serve as a deterrent and address public concern over the incident, which occurred in front of hundreds of people during a children’s Mass.
Police increased patrols at places of worship
The stabbing prompted Singapore authorities to step up police patrols at places of worship.
At the time of the incident, police said there was no evidence that the attack was religiously motivated and that they did not suspect terrorism. Preliminary investigations indicated that Spencer had acted alone.
The authorities also urged the public not to speculate about the motive while investigations were ongoing.
Two members of the congregation who helped disarm and restrain the attacker were later recognised with the Singapore Police Force’s Public Spiritedness Award.
Priest recovered after attack
Father Lee was discharged from hospital on Nov. 15, 2024, after undergoing surgery. The Archdiocese subsequently thanked members of the public for their support as he recovered.
Despite the shock, Masses at St Joseph’s Church continued the following day, with parishioners returning to worship.
The case has now reached a significant conclusion with Spencer’s prison and caning sentence, nearly two years after the attack that shocked Singapore’s Catholic community.
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