Family of grandfather killed by a flying wine bottle in Singapore say he may have been targeted because he was Muslim - as accused Australian faces 15 years jail and CANING if found guilty

  • Andrew Gosling allegedly threw wine bottle over the balcony of a unit in August
  • Singapore grandfather Nasiari Sunee was hit on the head by the bottle and died
  • Mr Sunee's family raising questions if he was targeted because he was Muslim 
  • Gosling is facing 15 years in jail and a public caning if found guilty of the crime 

The family of a grandfather who was killed after an Australian man allegedly threw a wine bottle from the balcony of a 15-storey building fear he may have been targeted because he was Muslim. 

Melbourne man Andrew Gosling, 47, is accused of tossing a bottle of Italian red from the seventh floor of a Singapore apartment complex at about 8.40pm on August 18. 

The bottle hit Nasiari Sunee, 73, on the head, as he stood celebrating at a relative's housewarming party two storeys below.

The bottle hit Nasiari Sunee (right), 73, who was at a housewarming party two storeys below. He was rushed to hospital but died of his injuries

The bottle hit Nasiari Sunee (right), 73, who was at a housewarming party two storeys below. He was rushed to hospital but died of his injuries

'It does intrigue in me, what is the probability that [whoever threw the bottle] has this thing against Muslims?' nephew Mohammed Nafis said

'It does intrigue in me, what is the probability that [whoever threw the bottle] has this thing against Muslims?' nephew Mohammed Nafis said 

Andrew Gosling (centre), 47, allegedly tossed a bottle of Italian red from the seventh floor of a Singapore apartment complex about 8.40pm on August 18

Andrew Gosling (centre), 47, allegedly tossed a bottle of Italian red from the seventh floor of a Singapore apartment complex about 8.40pm on August 18

'It does intrigue in me, what is the probability that [whoever threw the bottle] has this thing against Muslims?' nephew Mohammed Nafis told Nine News

'My aunty is in a veil and uncle is in a songkok, very Muslim traditionally dressed, and the bottle reaching them you know?' 

'We very much miss him a lot...his life was taken right away from him and right away from us just like that because of one act.'

Gosling, who works as a contractor for tech company Orica, had been charged with what is known locally as the 'killer-litter crime'.

But that charge was upgraded to the more serious 'voluntarily causing grievous hurt with an instrument' over the weekend, meaning if found guilty he now faces not only jail time but also caning.

Gosling is facing 15 years jail and a possible caning, similar to those carried out in Sharia Law nations like Indonesia (pictured), if convicted

Gosling is facing 15 years jail and a possible caning, similar to those carried out in Sharia Law nations like Indonesia (pictured), if convicted

The 47-year-old Australian IT worker allegedly threw the wine bottle from the seventh floor of a 35-storey building - striking grandfather Nasiari Sunee, 73, in the head

The 47-year-old Australian IT worker allegedly threw the wine bottle from the seventh floor of a 35-storey building - striking grandfather Nasiari Sunee, 73, in the head

Gosling faced a Singapore court on Saturday where prosecutors claimed in allegedly throwing the bottle he 'knew it to be likely' that he would cause grievous harm, The Straits Times reports.

Mr Sunee's nephew Mohammed Nafis said rejoicing in the man's arrest wasn't the answer, and 'we best let the law of Singapore ... deal with Mr Gosling as it deems (right).' 

'We believe that our loss through this incident was very unfortunate to happen,' Mr Nafis said. 

'But if it was decreed upon us to face such a fate then we should embrace it with lots of love and a high level of maturity as thinking adults. 

'Every living thing will one day move on in life just that nobody knows how 'they' will be put to rest.

Singapore police allege Gosling hurled a bottle of Polissena Il Borro sangiovese over the balcony. It's not yet clear why he allegedly did it. 

SINGAPORE BOTTLE-THROWING DEATH: A TIMELINE OF EVENTS

Andrew Gosling (pictured)

Andrew Gosling (pictured)

July 2019: Andrew Gosling began working as a contractor for chemical company Orica in Singapore, his LinkedIn profile says  

August 18, 2019: Gosling allegedly hurls a bottle of red wine from the seventh floor balcony of a Singapore high rise at about 8.40pm

Some 15 metres below on the fifth floor terrace, Nasiari Sunee, 73, is celebrating a relative's housewarming when he is struck in the head. 

Mr Sunee is cared for by a party attendee, a nurse, and is then taken to hospital. 

August 19, 2019: Mr Sunee dies of his head injuries

August 30: Gosling hands himself in to Singapore Police.

He is charged with causing death by a rash act and is taken into custody

October 18 : Gosling next returns to court

Mr Sunee's daughter said she heard two thuds before turning to find the grandfather lying on the ground, with blood flowing from his head.

He was rushed to hospital but died from his injuries the next day, on August 19.

The wine bottle was found intact on a nearby table and police quickly began going between units fingerprinting residents and grilling witnesses for their recollections. 

It was about ten days before Gosling handed himself in to authorities. 

He will return to court on October 18. 

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Singapore man Nasiari Sunee died after wine bottle landed on head allegedly thrown by Andrew Gosling

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