Man sexually assaulted date after she shared bad relationship experiences and cried, gets jail and caning
Ng Long Hock kept telling the woman that a couple should have sex before getting into a relationship, a notion the woman rejected.
File photo of the State Courts in Singapore. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Lydia Lam
@LydiaLamCNA13 Oct 2023 04:30PM(Updated: 13 Oct 2023 04:31PM)
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SINGAPORE: A man repeatedly suggested to his date that a couple should have sex before getting into a relationship, despite her discomfort.
When he talked about it again on their second date, she shared about her bad relationship experiences and cried.
Despite this, the man sexually assaulted the woman.
Ng Long Hock, a 30-year-old Malaysian, was sentenced to five years' jail and three strokes of the cane on Friday (Oct 13) for one count of sexual assault by penetration.
The court heard that Ng had a girlfriend in Malaysia but worked as a storekeeper in Singapore.
Around Feb 13, 2022, Ng sent a friend request to the victim on WeChat through a function that allows users to add people nearby as friends.
The woman, who was 21 at the time, accepted Ng's request and they arranged to meet for dinner that evening at Golden Mile Complex.
During the meal, he told the woman that he had a high sex drive, and that couples should have sex before getting into a relationship. He also said he had sex with his previous girlfriends before entering into relationships with them.
The victim felt uncomfortable hearing Ng talk about sex on their first meeting and told him not to talk about sexual topics. Ng brushed her objections aside, saying it was "nothing much", the prosecutor said.
In their ensuing conversation on WeChat, Ng again talked about having sex before committing to a relationship. The victim responded that she did not share his views.
The pair met up again on Feb 14, 2022 and Ng again raised the topic about having sex before committing to a relationship.
The victim shared her bad relationship experiences with him and cried.
They tried to find a place to sit at a mall, and Ng initially suggested going back to his place but changed his mind, saying there were other people at his residence.
The victim then suggested going to her place, where she thought at least one of her housemates would be present, and Ng agreed.
No one else was home when they got to the victim's unit and Ng suggested going to the victim's bedroom, saying there was no air-conditioning in the living room.
In her bedroom, Ng asked the victim about the hurt she had experienced in her past relationships, and the victim began sharing and tearing up.
Ng moved forward and hugged her, but the woman did not reciprocate his gesture. He then sexually assaulted the woman under her shorts.
Ng tried to pull down the victim's shorts but the victim resisted. She slapped Ng and shouted twice before he stopped his advances.
Ng apologised to her and left after the woman told him to and apologised to her again on WeChat.
The victim blocked Ng on WeChat and told her roommate and friends what happened. She lodged a police report after they advised her to do so.
The prosecution sought five to six years' jail and three to four strokes of the cane for Ng.
MITIGATION
Defence lawyer Cory Wong of Invictus Law asked for not more than five years' jail and three strokes of the cane.He said the sequence of events happened very quickly.
"Putting aside whatever mistaken belief he had ... by the time after those few seconds, when things became irrevocably clear to him, he withdrew ... and apologised in person and in text," said Mr Wong.
He said the case almost went to the High Court and is not even seven months old, but his client has pleaded guilty early.
Ng has committed a grave mistake but recognises his wrongdoing, said the lawyer, highlighting that Ng's aged parents in Malaysia are already displaying signs of dementia.
For sexual assault by penetration, Ng could have been jailed for up to 20 years, fined, or caned.
