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The New Paper, Singapore, 2 September 2000
(extracts)
PAIN OF VICTIMS OF T-SHIRT RAPIST
'I could only see his eyes.
They were staring at me.
They were frightening.'He terrorised women in Ang Mo Kio for more than two years. Yesterday in the High Court, he was sentenced to 30 years' jail and 24 strokes of the cane. ANDRE YEO and JOYCELYN WONG profile the rapist and speak to one of his victims
SHE had read about rapes through newspaper articles.
It could never happen to her, Jenny (not her real name) thought.
She was usually surrounded by friends. But all it took was a moment alone for her to become the first rape victim of the terror of Ang Mo Kio.
On Nov 27, 1999, at about 6.30 am, Jenny was in the living room of her Ang Mo Kio flat. She was asleep, but sensed that she was not alone.
Speaking in Mandarin, she said: "I opened my eyes and saw a masked man coming out of my bedroom and towards me. My first reaction was to ask him how he had got in because I know I had locked the door."
She never got the chance to ask any questions. Or scream for help.
PUT A KNIFE TO HER THROAT
In a flash, Adrian Chew Eng Hin, 23, was kneeling beside her, pressing her kitchen knife against her throat. He warned her not to make any noise or he would kill her.
"He asked me where I kept my money. I could only shake my head and tell him that I didn't have any," Jenny said.
"I was shaking so badly as I was scared. He had my T-shirt wrapped around his head and I could only see his eyes. They were staring straight at me. They were frightening."
But her ordeal was just beginning.
"He used the knife to cut my panties and then he raped me. It was over in about 15 minutes and it seemed like forever..." said Jenny, her voice breaking.
She did not elaborate further.
[...]
Gangster who prowled for victims in his neighbourhood
HE had a pretty girlfriend in her late teens. He had known her for several years.
She was 15 when they first met. They were neighbours at the same Ang Mo Kio block, and she often came to his three-room flat.
But a pretty girlfriend wasn't enough for Adrian Chew Eng Hin.
During their short relationship, he let loose a two-year reign of terror in the neighbourhood, breaking into 12 HDB flats, raping two women, attempting to rape another and sexually assaulting two others.
His arrest ended their relationship.
Chew, 23, who is single and unemployed, was in the High Court yesterday to face 25 counts of rape, attempted rape, unnatural sex, outrage of modesty, committing an obscene act, housebreaking, housebreaking by night, robbery and trying to commit robbery.
These acts took place in Ang Mo Kio between Jan 14, 1997 and Feb 9 this year.
His mother, a factory worker, 46, and sister, 19, a polytechnic student, were not in court.
Wearing a blue long-sleeved shirt and grey trousers, Chew bowed his head throughout the court proceedings as the charges were read out to him in Mandarin.
A powerfully-built man about 1.75 m tall, Chew has previous convictions for harassment, drug consumption and abetting illegal money-lending.
He committed the current offences while a deserter from national service.
His lawyer, Ms Gloria James, said in mitigation that Chew became a gangster and dropped out of school after Secondary 3.
He then did odd jobs earning $600 to $700 a month, giving $200 to his mother and $10 to his sister.
Chew's father, a Malaysian, left the family when he was 11 and Chew has not heard from him since.
SEXUAL ABUSE CLAIM
Chew claimed he was sexually abused by a relative and his mistress when he was aged between six and 10. But judicial commissioner Amarjeet Singh rejected this as he did not see a connection between Chew's background and his offences.
He added, speaking directly to Chew: "You are a very dangerous young man who needs to be kept out of circulation from the public for a very long, long time."
[...]
JAILED
Chew (above) pleaded guilty to nine charges -- two each for rape, unnatural sex and armed robbery, and one each for attempted rape, outrage of modesty and housebreaking by night.The remaining 16 charges were taken into consideration.
He was jailed 30 years and given 24 strokes of the cane.
Copyright © 2000 Singapore Press Holdings.
The New Paper, Singapore, 21 September 2000
JAILED
Othman Ahmad (above) was sentenced to 13 months in jail and three strokes of the cane. For molest, he could have been jailed up to two years and fined or caned.
Abusive molester gets violent
BY LEE TEE JONG
HE had some free time while on his way to work.
Most people would read a newspaper or have a cup of coffee.
But not Othman Ahmad, 46, who had some alcohol before leaving home.
He chose to molest a woman instead.
A mother who just happened to cross his path.
On March 1, around 3 pm, Madam Lim, who was with her daughter May, (not their real names) walked out of a shop in Bedok.
Othman stood in front of her and blocked her way.
He then molested her.
Madam Lim scolded him.
That did not deter Othman, who called her a prostitute.
She scolded him again for abusing her.
And he got violent. He used his hands -- this time not to molest but to grab her by the throat.
Madam Lim's daughter, who was walking in front, turned around and saw it.
When she tried to help her mother, Othman pushed her and she fell backwards.
May pleaded with Othman to release her mother.
Othman's response?
More vulgarities.
May then called the police, who came and arrested him.
On Tuesday, Othman was charged with five counts of causing hurt, molest and abusive behaviour.
The prosecution proceeded with three charges and took the other two into consideration.
Copyright © 2000 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.
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