Insults a sticking point for woman’s neighbours

A Lunar New Year brawl left a 68-year-old woman critically injured after an exchange of drunken taunts with her five neighbours turned ugly on Saturday in Kampong Chhnang’s Cholkiri district. The woman and her two children were drinking at home when they began lobbing insults at their neighbours drinking next door, who were more than happy to lob back. One barb prompted the five to grab wooden sticks and attack the three family members, slightly injuring the children and knocking the mother unconscious. Police sent the five to court. Kampuchea Thmey

Police get in the way of suspect’s party plans

A Dangkor district 29-year-old who just couldn’t resist a good party got busted on a nearly year-old fraud charge after returning to the capital to celebrate the Lunar New Year. According to police, the suspect had skipped town after borrowing $500 from a Dangkor resident last summer. When police saw the partying perp return for the festivities, they pounced. The suspect reportedly confessed to the accusation. Kampuchea Thmey

Booze advocates bash ungrateful imbiber

Peer pressure turned painful for a 35-year-old construction worker in the capital’s Dangkor district on Sunday. Police said two of the man’s co-workers, aged 17 and 25, coerced him into tying one on against his better judgement. The man finally retreated to his room, blaming his cohorts for making him imbibe. Incensed, the pair grabbed wooden sticks and beat him about the head and arms, giving him something to really blame them for. Police arrested the suspects and sent the man to a clinic. Nokorwat

Bird flu not the only risk from not cooking poultry

A 44-year-old man who assaulted his 22-year-old stepdaughter over a duck couldn’t duck the long arm of the law in Preah Sihanouk province’s Prey Nop district last Saturday. The man had asked his daughter to cook the duck, police said, so he and his friend could enjoy it with their beer. The daughter refused, and when she protested the ensuing verbal abuse, the father resorted to the physical, grabbing a hoe and striking her in the head. The woman was sent to a clinic and the father to court. Kampuchea Thmey

Man seriously injured after scrape with van

A 19-year-old man was left in serious condition after being dragged behind a speeding van in Takeo province’s Donkeo town. Police said the man was attempting to make a left turn when a van zooming along in the same direction collided with his motorbike, snagging him in the process, and dragging him across the asphalt for 20 metres. The man was sent to Phnom Penh for treatment, and the van’s 29-year-old driver was sent to court. Nokorwat

Translated by Phak Seangly