Singapore security jailed for six years for sexual assault
SINGAPORE November 24 2018 A security officer who sexually assaulted a drunk man in a toilet was sentenced to six years’ jail and three strokes of the cane on Wednesday (Nov 21).
The incident took place on May 6 last year, not long after 35-year-old Low Chih Kin started his job as a security officer at Suntec City.
The court heard that at about 3am that day, Low was heading to a male toilet at Suntec City Tower 1 when he saw a man lying on the floor.
The 36-year-old assistant building manager, whose name is protected by a gag order, had attended his company’s annual dinner and dance event at a hotel, where he had several alcoholic drinks. He then went to a bar at Suntec City for a second round of drinks.
The man had gone to the toilet to relieve himself but ended up lying on the floor, the court heard.
When Low saw the intoxicated man lying on his side at the entrance to the toilet, he shifted the man’s body and engaged in a number of intimate acts with him, including kissing his mouth.
The victim did not stir, so Low unbuttoned his pants and performed a sexual act on him several times.
The court heard that the victim drifted in and out of consciousness and could feel sensations, but could not open his eyes or fight Low off.
Low stopped his actions when he realised that leaving saliva on the man could lead the police to him. He left the toilet, but his movements in the corridor were caught on closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.
Sometime after this, the victim’s wife called him and he told her: “Please help me.”
She went to Suntec City and found her husband lying on the floor with vomit stains on his arm and loosened jeans.
She called the police, saying her husband suspected he had been “raped by a guy”. Her husband was taken to hospital, while Low was traced through CCTV footage and arrested.
The prosecution asked for a sentence of six years’ jail and three strokes of the cane to be imposed.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Eunice Lau said that the victim had to go for tests to be cleared of any sexually transmitted diseases. Even though he was given the all-clear, he had to face the inconvenience of tests, she said.
Low’s defence lawyer Diana Ngiam said the sentence the prosecution asked for was fair, adding that Low was sorry.
“This is his first brush with the law and will be his final brush with the law,” she said.
Principal District Judge Ong Hian Sun allowed Low some time to speak to his mother after passing the sentence.
