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https://sg.news.yahoo.com/grabhitch...er-jailed-3-weeks-054415716.html?guccounter=1
GrabHitch driver who molested female passenger jailed 3 weeks
Wan Ting Koh
Reporter
Yahoo News Singapore 26 October 2018
While ferrying a female passenger sitting on the front seat, a GrabHitch driver repeatedly touched her hands and complimented her on her soft skin.
Singapore Permanent Resident Kaliaperumal Panneer Selvam, 47, was sentenced to three weeks’ jail on Friday (26 October), after he pleaded guilty to one count of molesting the 17-year-old student. Three counts of a similar nature were taken into consideration for sentencing.
The engineer, who is an Indian national, committed the offences while providing GrabHitch’s carpooling service. He is married with two children.
GrabHitch Drivers are not commercial drivers and they use the Grab app to match up passengers going in the same direction to earn spare cash.
On 15 January this year, at about 12.30pm, the girl made a booking for a GrabHitch ride and Selvam was assigned to be her driver.
As the girl was about to enter by the rear door of the car, Selvam suggested that she sit in the front passenger seat as he had to pick up two other passengers. The girl agreed.
Selvam then drove to Bukit Batok West to wait for the other passengers. While waiting, Selvam initiated small talk with the girl, asking if her fingernails were real. He held her right hand with his left hand, prompting the girl to pull back her hand.
Selvam then commented that the girl had soft hands. The two waited a while more before Selvam cancelled the bookings for the other passengers. He then drove towards the girl’s destination, which was her school along Selegie Road.
Selvam was driving along the Pan Island Expressway towards Changi Airport when he suddenly rubbed the girl’s hand and complimented its softness. The girl immediately shifted her position to prevent further contact with the driver.
As Selvam was driving along Lornie Road, he told the girl that her right thigh veins were “very obvious” and touched her thigh. The girl felt uncomfortable and placed her hands on her thigh to block his touch.
When the car was along Bencoolen Street, the girl took out $12 to pay Selvam but the latter refused it. He stroked the girl’s thigh while refusing the money.
The girl insisted on paying and placed the cash on the centre compartment of the car but Selvam placed the money back into the girl’s bag.
The girl alighted at Sunshine Plaza, some distance from her intended location, as she was afraid Selvam would further harass her. She met her boyfriend, who called the police.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Andre Ong called for Selvam to be jailed three weeks. The driver had committed the offences as a public transport worker and in a place where the girl had “no means of escape”, said the DPP.
GrabHitch driver who molested female passenger jailed 3 weeks
Wan Ting Koh
Reporter
Yahoo News Singapore 26 October 2018
While ferrying a female passenger sitting on the front seat, a GrabHitch driver repeatedly touched her hands and complimented her on her soft skin.
Singapore Permanent Resident Kaliaperumal Panneer Selvam, 47, was sentenced to three weeks’ jail on Friday (26 October), after he pleaded guilty to one count of molesting the 17-year-old student. Three counts of a similar nature were taken into consideration for sentencing.
The engineer, who is an Indian national, committed the offences while providing GrabHitch’s carpooling service. He is married with two children.
GrabHitch Drivers are not commercial drivers and they use the Grab app to match up passengers going in the same direction to earn spare cash.
On 15 January this year, at about 12.30pm, the girl made a booking for a GrabHitch ride and Selvam was assigned to be her driver.
As the girl was about to enter by the rear door of the car, Selvam suggested that she sit in the front passenger seat as he had to pick up two other passengers. The girl agreed.
Selvam then drove to Bukit Batok West to wait for the other passengers. While waiting, Selvam initiated small talk with the girl, asking if her fingernails were real. He held her right hand with his left hand, prompting the girl to pull back her hand.
Selvam then commented that the girl had soft hands. The two waited a while more before Selvam cancelled the bookings for the other passengers. He then drove towards the girl’s destination, which was her school along Selegie Road.
Selvam was driving along the Pan Island Expressway towards Changi Airport when he suddenly rubbed the girl’s hand and complimented its softness. The girl immediately shifted her position to prevent further contact with the driver.
As Selvam was driving along Lornie Road, he told the girl that her right thigh veins were “very obvious” and touched her thigh. The girl felt uncomfortable and placed her hands on her thigh to block his touch.
When the car was along Bencoolen Street, the girl took out $12 to pay Selvam but the latter refused it. He stroked the girl’s thigh while refusing the money.
The girl insisted on paying and placed the cash on the centre compartment of the car but Selvam placed the money back into the girl’s bag.
The girl alighted at Sunshine Plaza, some distance from her intended location, as she was afraid Selvam would further harass her. She met her boyfriend, who called the police.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Andre Ong called for Selvam to be jailed three weeks. The driver had committed the offences as a public transport worker and in a place where the girl had “no means of escape”, said the DPP.
