[FONT=&]Construction worker jailed 10 months for molesting woman in her own home
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By Vanessa Paige Chelvan
Posted 20 Oct 2016 23:16
Updated 20 Oct 2016 23:20
[FONT=&]SINGAPORE: A construction worker was jailed 10 months on Thursday (Oct 20) for molesting a 28-year-old woman in her own home after he was sent to repair faulty window latches in the woman’s new flat.
The court heard that the victim and her husband moved into their new flat in October 2015, and on Oct 16 the woman visited the Housing and Development Board estate's Building Service Centre (BSC) to ask for help to repair faulty window latches in the unit. A BSC employee assigned Bangladeshi national Alam, 40, the job.
The woman brought Alam back to the unit, where he repaired the window latches and repainted parts of the windows in every room. He asked the woman to follow him into each room while he worked.
After completing his tasks, the two headed back to the living room where Alam started telling the victim stories about his work and personal life. While talking to her, Alam touched the shocked woman on her face and shoulder. She moved away but did not say anything to Alam.
He then told her to follow him into the master bedroom to watch him put lubricant on the window latch. She initially did, but later left the room to get her mobile phone. Alam followed her and caught her by surprise by hugging her from behind.
She moved away and told Alam not to do that, but he was undeterred and hugged her again, using his hands to squeeze her breasts.
The woman tried to push Alam away, but he continued to hug and touch her and told her he wanted to be friends. She suggested he write his name and mobile number on a piece of paper, which Alam did. He then suddenly hugged the woman again and kissed her on the lips, despite her efforts to move away.
Fearing for her safety, the woman managed to get Alam to leave the unit. However, he remained outside for at least 20 minutes, knocking on the front door and asking if they were still friends.
The woman called her husband and told him to come home immediately. However, she was “in a state of confusion and fear” and could only tell him what had happened the next day.
When her husband heard what had happened, he wanted to call the police, but she persuaded him not to as she did not want to encounter Alam again.
But she was unable to sleep that night, thinking of what had happened, and broke down in tears, the prosecution said. Her husband called the police on Oct 18, two days after the incident.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Eunice Lau urged the court to impose a jail term of 12 months with caning. Among other aggravating factors in the case, DPP Lau said Alam had made “persistent and unrelenting advances”, leaving the woman in fear and traumatised.
He had molested the woman, who was alone with him in the house, “in the sanctity of her own home”, the DPP said.
In court on Thursday, Alam cried and apologised for his actions. He pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated molest for squeezing the woman’s breasts and kissing her as she tried unsuccessfully to push him away.
Another two charges for aggravated molest, for kissing the woman on the cheek and smacking her buttocks, were taken into consideration during sentencing.
For aggravated molest, he could have been jailed for up to two years and caned.
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[FONT=&]- CNA/mz[/FONT]
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By Vanessa Paige Chelvan
Posted 20 Oct 2016 23:16
Updated 20 Oct 2016 23:20
[FONT=&]SINGAPORE: A construction worker was jailed 10 months on Thursday (Oct 20) for molesting a 28-year-old woman in her own home after he was sent to repair faulty window latches in the woman’s new flat.
The court heard that the victim and her husband moved into their new flat in October 2015, and on Oct 16 the woman visited the Housing and Development Board estate's Building Service Centre (BSC) to ask for help to repair faulty window latches in the unit. A BSC employee assigned Bangladeshi national Alam, 40, the job.
The woman brought Alam back to the unit, where he repaired the window latches and repainted parts of the windows in every room. He asked the woman to follow him into each room while he worked.
After completing his tasks, the two headed back to the living room where Alam started telling the victim stories about his work and personal life. While talking to her, Alam touched the shocked woman on her face and shoulder. She moved away but did not say anything to Alam.
He then told her to follow him into the master bedroom to watch him put lubricant on the window latch. She initially did, but later left the room to get her mobile phone. Alam followed her and caught her by surprise by hugging her from behind.
She moved away and told Alam not to do that, but he was undeterred and hugged her again, using his hands to squeeze her breasts.
The woman tried to push Alam away, but he continued to hug and touch her and told her he wanted to be friends. She suggested he write his name and mobile number on a piece of paper, which Alam did. He then suddenly hugged the woman again and kissed her on the lips, despite her efforts to move away.
Fearing for her safety, the woman managed to get Alam to leave the unit. However, he remained outside for at least 20 minutes, knocking on the front door and asking if they were still friends.
The woman called her husband and told him to come home immediately. However, she was “in a state of confusion and fear” and could only tell him what had happened the next day.
When her husband heard what had happened, he wanted to call the police, but she persuaded him not to as she did not want to encounter Alam again.
But she was unable to sleep that night, thinking of what had happened, and broke down in tears, the prosecution said. Her husband called the police on Oct 18, two days after the incident.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Eunice Lau urged the court to impose a jail term of 12 months with caning. Among other aggravating factors in the case, DPP Lau said Alam had made “persistent and unrelenting advances”, leaving the woman in fear and traumatised.
He had molested the woman, who was alone with him in the house, “in the sanctity of her own home”, the DPP said.
In court on Thursday, Alam cried and apologised for his actions. He pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated molest for squeezing the woman’s breasts and kissing her as she tried unsuccessfully to push him away.
Another two charges for aggravated molest, for kissing the woman on the cheek and smacking her buttocks, were taken into consideration during sentencing.
For aggravated molest, he could have been jailed for up to two years and caned.
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[FONT=&]- CNA/mz[/FONT]
