26-12-2024 (SINGAPORE) A 23-year-old former university student has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for repeatedly recording intimate videos of his former girlfriend without her knowledge whilst she was showering.
The offender, who attended Singapore Institute of Management, began his series of violations in February 2021 when he was 19. The court heard how he secretly recorded his then-partner, who was younger than him, on multiple occasions spanning two years during their relationship.
In a particularly concerning incident, the perpetrator manipulated situations to capture footage by instructing his girlfriend to wear an eye mask during intimate moments. When she attempted to remove it, he prevented her from doing so whilst continuing to film.
The offences came to light in January when the man contacted the victim’s brother via social media, attempting to share explicit images. This led to a swift police report and the man’s arrest during his National Service duty.
During court proceedings, it was revealed that the offender had stored multiple intimate videos in his cloud storage. A psychiatric assessment at the Institute of Mental Health diagnosed him with voyeuristic disorder, though this was not deemed to have influenced his actions.
The victim, whose identity is protected by court order, provided a moving impact statement detailing severe psychological trauma. She now routinely checks rooms with a hidden camera detector and experiences emotional distress when recalling the violations.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ariel Tan emphasised that the offender’s actions demonstrated significant premeditation, describing him as “a habitual voyeur.” The prosecution sought a sentence of 22 to 25 months.
Despite defence counsel’s plea for probation citing the offender’s youth, Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan highlighted the perpetrator’s breach of trust and the deliberate nature of his actions, particularly noting that the victim was even younger than the offender.
The judge ultimately rejected rehabilitation in favour of deterrence, imposing a 20-month prison sentence. Under local law, voyeurism carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment, while distributing intimate images without consent can result in up to five years’ incarceration.
