SINGAPORE — An SMRT employee was sentenced to four weeks’ jail on Thursday (Aug 13) for pretending to be a police officer and using criminal force on a woman who was drinking with her boyfriend.
Ng Soon Hee, 47, who was drunk at the time of the incident, also told the woman: “Wah, your breast very big ah!”
The Singaporean pleaded guilty to two charges of impersonating a public servant and using criminal force on the 26-year-old woman, who cannot be named due to a gag order to protect her identity.
The latter charge was reduced from one of molestation.
A third charge of insulting the victim’s modesty was taken into consideration for sentencing.
The incident happened on March 22 last year at about 1.30pm when the victim and her 34-year-old boyfriend were drinking beer near Block 173 Gangsa Road in Bukit Panjang.
They turned around when they heard Ng shouting at them.
He walked towards them and told them they were making too much noise.
Ng said he was a policeman before holding out his SMRT staff pass, which was attached to his SMRT uniform.
He tilted the pass at an angle and blocked it with his hand when the couple tried to take a closer look.
Ng told them they should not be drinking alcohol after 10.30pm even though it was in the afternoon.
He then looked at the woman and made the lewd comment.
The woman’s boyfriend confronted Ng and she tried to calm them down.
In an attempt to push her away, Ng used his forearm to push her chest before coming forward again and cupping her breast while pushing her aside.
She then told her boyfriend to call the police.
While he was calling the police, Ng kept challenging him to a fight and hurling vulgarities at him.
Ng’s blood alcohol level was found to be 108mg per 100ml after his arrest.
In comparison, the legal alcohol limit for driving is 80mg per 100ml.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ho Jiayun, who sought a short custodial sentence, told the court that Ng’s actions were “not only aggressive but intrusive”.
His lawyer Choo Si Sen said in mitigation that his client cooperated with the police at all times and “gave positive statements”, which the prosecutor disputed but did not elaborate on.
Ng will begin serving his sentence on Aug 17.
For using criminal force, he could have been jailed up to three months, fined up to S$1,500 or both.
For impersonating a public servant, he could have been jailed up to two years, fined or both.
TODAY has contacted SMRT for comment.
Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/jail-sm...ment-woman-after-impersonating-police-officer
