28-2-2024 (SINGAPORE) In a disturbing case, a man from Singapore, aged 61, pleaded guilty on February 27 to charges of attempted sexual assault, causing grievous hurt to his wife, and using criminal force on a police officer. The accused had been forced to move out of his flat due to assaulting his wife, and sought refuge with his 81-year-old mother. However, one night, in a drunken state, he allegedly attempted to sexually assault and strangle his mother.
The prosecution highlighted the man’s extensive criminal record, consisting of 50 entries spanning from 1982 to 2019, and described him as a “menace to society.” Prosecutors sought a sentence of preventive detention, a regime that detains repeat offenders for a period of seven to 20 years, to safeguard the public from his actions.
The High Court judge, considering the severity of the case, adjourned the proceedings and requested a report to assess the man’s suitability for preventive detention.
Throughout the years, the man had faced fines and imprisonment for various offenses, including housebreaking, disorderly behavior, criminal intimidation, and, notably, a 10-year corrective training sentence in 1987 for culpable homicide.
Following his most recent incarceration, the man found employment as a part-time driver and resided with his wife and 23-year-old son. However, due to his alcoholism, his wife would not allow him into the flat when he was intoxicated, as it often led to violence and heightened sexual aggression.
On January 10, 2021, after consuming alcohol, the man demanded sex from his wife. When she refused, he verbally abused her and threatened physical harm. Later that night, he violently attacked her, punching her in the face, causing her to fall and sustain injuries from the impact.
The woman’s son intervened and pushed the assailant away, enabling her to flee and seek help. She suffered severe injuries, including a fractured nose, broken blood vessels in her eye, and a fractured finger, requiring a seven-day hospitalization.
As a result of the incident, the woman obtained a personal protection order and a domestic exclusion order to protect herself from further violence, effectively forcing the man to vacate their shared residence.
With no alternative accommodation, the man turned to his mother, despite warnings from his granddaughters about his violent history. His mother agreed to take him in, and he moved into her rented one-room flat in March 2021. However, he would return home intoxicated every night.
On April 27, 2021, after consuming a significant amount of beer, the man allegedly placed a belt around his mother’s neck and tightened it, but ultimately released her. Later, when his mother was asleep, he climbed onto her bed, forcibly removed her clothes, and attempted to sexually assault her.
Despite her resistance and pleas, he molested her, strangled her neck, and punched her when she continued to struggle. Although he tried to violate her sexually, she managed to push his hand away. Exhausted, he eventually fell asleep.
The traumatized woman remained awake throughout the night. The following morning, while waiting for the lift with a neighbor to go to the market, her son threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident to anyone.
Observing the swelling on the right side of the victim’s mouth, the concerned neighbor contacted the woman’s granddaughter, who subsequently alerted the police.
During the court hearing on February 27, the man, without legal representation, slurred his speech and acknowledged the detrimental impact of alcohol on his life. Initially, he claimed to love his mother, as she had arranged his marriage, but referred to his marital life as a “nightmare” filled with daily problems. He stated that he loved only his two children and did not hold affection for his wife or mother.
