Man jailed for molesting woman on bus
Posted: 31 January 2012 1826 hrs
SINGAPORE: A former security officer has been sentenced to four months' jail for molesting a woman on a public bus.
55-year-old Kwan Ngai Yee had used his fingers to poke the right side of the victim's body on 16 December 2010.
He committed the act onboard SBS bus service number 30, which was travelling along West Coast Road towards Ayer Rajah Expressway.
The woman, who was 21 at the time of the incident, said on Tuesday that she had fallen asleep but was woken up by "some poking sensation" near her right breast.
She said no one was beside her on the seat but she noticed a man sitting behind her.
Thinking it might have been her bag that had caused the pressure, she adjusted the bag away from her body and continued with her nap.
A few minutes later, the court heard, she was awoken by the same poking sensation.
To confirm her suspicions that the man was the culprit, the victim pretended to fall asleep again. Less than a minute later, she saw a hand coming from behind, through the gap between the window and the seat.
She suddenly sat up straight and the hand was withdrawn immediately.
The woman said as Kwan was the only person sitting directly behind her, she decided to follow the bespectacled man until he reached his home.
She went into the lift of the block where he stayed and waited for him to press the button for the 10th floor before she pressed on the 11th.
Kwan exited the lift when it arrived at the 10th floor, but the victim kept the lift door open until she heard the sound of keys. She then stepped out of the lift and saw him entering a unit.
In the meantime, the woman's boyfriend arrived at the scene and called the police.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Agnes Chan noted that Kwan showed no remorse for his actions, as he had attempted to repeat the act a third time.
In sentencing Kwan, District Judge (Mrs) Lee Poh Choo agreed with the prosecutor that a signal should be sent to those who prey on young women as thousands of them use public transport daily.
- CNA/al
