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Corpun file 26674 at www.corpun.com
The Straits Times, Singapore, 12 March 2018
Youth gets 10 years' jail, 12 strokes of the cane for rape and sexually violating teenage girls
By Selina Lum
Law CorrespondentSINGAPORE -- An 18-year-old secondary school dropout, who sexually violated four teenage girls, was sentenced to 10 years' jail and 12 strokes of the cane on Monday (March 12).
Anthony Lim Yao Ming was between 14 and 17 when he committed the offences, which included rape.
He pleaded guilty to two charges involving two girls -- a 13-year-old and a 14-year-old -- whom he had befriended on Facebook. Both victims had below average intelligence.
Lim's modus operandi involved exploiting the gullibility and loneliness of adolescent girls and convincing them that they shared a genuine romantic relationship, only to use them for his own sexual gratification at the very first meeting, Deputy Public Prosecutor Kavita Uthrapathy told the High Court.
In December 2015, Lim, who was then 16, sent a friend request on Facebook to the first victim, whose intelligence was assessed to be in the "very low" range.
On Jan 10, 2016, six days after she accepted his request, Lim, who claimed that he was a polytechnic student, asked her to be his girlfriend and she agreed.
Four days later, he took the 13-year-old to his flat and they had consensual sex.
Three days after they had sex, Lim told her he wanted to break up with her. But he soon changed his mind and asked her to get back together with him.
On Jan 25, 2016, he asked her to meet him at his flat.
She agreed to have sex with him on the condition that this would be the last time, as she wanted a loving relationship and not one in which she felt being used by him.
The next day, the girl's mother was doing the laundry when she found bloodstains on her underwear and questioned her about it. The girl eventually admitted that she had sex with Lim. Her parents took her to make a police report.
Meanwhile, Lim was chatting with the second victim over Facebook.
He had asked the 14-year-old to be his girlfriend in mid 2015. He stopped messaging her in October 2015 but asked her to be his girlfriend again on May 30, 2016.
On June 22, 2016, posing as his mother, Lim sent her a barrage of text messages over a two-hour period. The messages asked the girl why she had yet to meet up with Lim, despite them being a couple.
Falling for the ruse, the girl felt guilty and agreed to meet up with him.
On June 29, 2016, they met outside her school and got into a taxi. Despite having some reservations, she agreed to follow him to his flat.
When they reached his flat, he took her straight to his bedroom and closed the door. She sat on the floor but he carried her to his bed and started kissing and hugging her.
The girl pushed him away and pleaded with him to stop when he started taking her clothes off, but Lim threatened to punch and slap her if she did not comply.
He raped her as she cried and tried to push him away.
After the rape, Lim booked a taxi for her but borrowed $5 from her.
In the taxi, she phoned a teacher and tearfully recounted her ordeal. The teacher then called the girl's mother. That night, the girl's mother took her to the police and reported the rape.
Tests later showed that girl's IQ was 70, which was at the borderline level.
On Monday, Lim pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual penetration of a minor relating in connection with the first victim and a charge of aggravated rape for the other girl. Eight other charges, for sexual penetration of a minor, were taken into consideration.
In sentencing, Justice Kannan Ramesh noted that Lim's offences were "laced with premeditation" and that he had used deception to lure the second girl to his flat.
The judge noted that even though Lim was questioned by the Serious Sexual Crimes Branch on Feb 10, 2016, for the first offence, he was undeterred. Lim was only interested in securing sexual gratification; there was no real relationship.
"It was all about exploitation," said the judge.
SPH Digital News / Copyright © 2018 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn. No. 198402868E. All rights reserved
Corpun file 26676 at www.corpun.com
The Straits Times, Singapore, 19 March 2018
Life term and 18 strokes for man who snatched cop's revolver and fired three shots
By K.C. Vijayan
Senior Law Correspondent
Muhammad Iskandar Sa'at, seen in this 2015 file photo, pleaded guilty to a single charge of having a firearm under the Arms Offences Act in causing hurt to a public servant. PHOTO: THE NEW PAPERSINGAPORE -- In one of the worst cases of assault against a police officer, a man who used the officer's baton to hit him 13 times and fired three shots that wounded him, was jailed for life and given 18 strokes of the cane in the High Court on Monday (March 19).
Muhammad Iskandar Sa'at, 26, had snatched the officer's revolver during a scuffle at the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in Yishun on June 20, 2015, at 7.05pm as he tried to escape from custody.
Iskandar was in remand for vehicle theft after being charged in the State Courts on the same day. He had sought medical treatment and was escorted to the hospital by two officers.
The delivery man pleaded guilty on Monday to a single charge of having a firearm under the Arms Offences Act in causing hurt to a public servant. Three other charges were taken into consideration for the purpose of sentencing.
In handing down the sentence, Justice Chan Seng Onn agreed with the prosecution on the aggravating factors involved and stressed this was an extremely serious offence.
The court heard that Iskandar had first attacked Staff Sergeant Muhammad Sadli Razali with an intravenous drip pole while in a room in the hospital meant for patients under police custody.
In the struggle that followed, he forcefully hit the officer at least 13 times with the police T-baton.
The assault culminated in Iskandar snatching the revolver and firing three shots at him from close range. Two of the shots penetrated the victim's left thumb and right foot.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Kumaresan Gohulabalan and Kelly Ho said Iskandar "went to extreme lengths to try to escape lawful custody", adding that Staff Sgt Sadli "is fortunate to be alive".
"It was fortuitous that Staff Sgt Sadli managed to pull the offender onto the ground to avert a potential tragedy. At least five other persons were in the room or near the room entrance when the offender had possession of the revolver, and were thus in harm's way," said the prosecution.
Two paramedics went to Staff Sgt Sadli's aid at the time and three uniformed officers subsequently came to the room to help subdue Iskandar and remove the weapon from his hand.
When the shots were fired, Iskandar was in a supine position on the floor and his right hand holding the revolver had been pinned down by Staff Sgt Sadli.
"The potential harm is of the highest order, for anyone struck by a bullet could have suffered lethal injury. Given the high potential harm present, 18 strokes of the cane is justified," argued the prosecution.
Among other things, they noted the offence caused public disquiet and justified a deterrent punishment.
They explained: "The attack took place during visiting hours (at about 7.05pm) in a public hospital when there would invariably be significant human traffic. Such an act of wanton violence in a public place necessarily raises public disquiet and necessitates a heavier sentence.
"A number of doctors and nurses were interrupted from carrying out their usual duties by the commotion caused by the offender and the aftermath of his offending."
In his mitigation, Iskandar's assigned lawyers Shashi Nathan and Tania Chin from Withers KhattarWong said their client had struggled with drug addiction.
He had last injected himself with heroin some 27 hours before the incident and was struggling with acute withdrawal.
Mr Nathan added Iskandar's impulsive behaviour followed from his "panic and fluster" following his arrest for vehicle theft. He was also stressed as his girlfriend had also been arrested for the alleged theft.
He wanted to escape to explain himself to her family and his parents.
Counsel added that Iskandar had grabbed the gun intending to use the butt to hit the cop and at no time intended to aim the gun at anyone.
Mr Nathan said during the scuffle, both Iskandar and the police officer fell to the ground and one of the paramedics had placed a pillow over the gun. The pillow was then held by both the police officer and Iskandar.
The three shots were fired while the pillow was over the gun.
Mr Nathan said Iskandar accepted full responsibility and made no excuses for his actions, deeply regretting his folly.
After the sentencing, Iskandar broke down and his family members showed relief.
"His family and I are both deeply grateful to the prosecution for having carefully considered the circumstances and being fair in reducing the charge," said Mr Nathan.
SPH Digital News / Copyright © 2018 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn. No. 198402868E. All rights reserved
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