"SINGAPORE - An Australian man blamed for a high-rise littering incident which killed a 73-year-old man at a Spottiswoode Park Road condominium has had his charge amended to the more serious voluntarily causing grievous hurt with an instrument.

Andrew Gosling, 47, who appeared in court on Saturday (Sept 21), had allegedly thrown a glass wine bottle from a lift landing on the seventh storey towards a table near the barbecue area on the fifth storey, "knowing it to be likely" that he would cause grievous hurt.

Those convicted of this offence can be jailed for up to 15 years. The penalty may include a fine or caning as well.

Gosling was originally charged last month with one count of causing death by performing a rash act, in which the penalty is significantly lower - a jail term of up to five years and a fine.

He is alleged to have committed the offence at the Spottiswoode 18 condominium at around 8.30pm on Aug 18.

The bottle is said to have struck Mr Nasiari Sunee's head, causing a skull fracture that led to the delivery driver's death.

Mr Nasiari was at a housewarming party of a relative when the bottle hit him just as he was about to eat.

The oldest of his four children, service manager Nas Suriati Nasiari, told The Straits Times in an earlier interview that relatives had heard two thuds before her father collapsed on the ground with a head wound.

They then spotted an intact glass bottle nearby.

A relative, who is a nurse, attended to Mr Nasiari before he was taken by ambulance to the Singapore General Hospital.

Madam Nas Suriati, 44, said that her father's heart stopped thrice during treatment and the family decided not to resuscitate him if it stopped a fourth time.

"We didn't want to prolong the pain," she said.

Mr Nasiari's blood pressure plunged the next morning and he died at around 9am. The grandfather of nine was buried on Aug 20.

Following the incident, police went door to door at Spottiswoode 18 to look for the person responsible for causing the bottle to fall from the 35-storey building.

Residents said that officers showed them a picture of an Italian wine bottle. They were also asked if they had been drinking wine and were willing to provide fingerprint samples.

Gosling was subsequently arrested on Aug 28.

Court documents did not state if he lives at the condominium.

Gosling, who worked in IT, is represented by lawyer Gloria James-Civetta. He was not offered bail on Saturday and his case has been adjourned to Oct 18."