Four men, aged between 17 and 55, will be charged in court on 7 March 2019 for five separate cases of outrage of modesty, reported between July 2018 and October 2018.
The brief details of the five cases are as follows:
- On 24 July 2018, a 13-year-old boy reported that he was molested by a 55-year-old man at a clinic along Serangoon North Avenue 1.
- On 2 October 2018, a 17-year-old teenager reported that she was molested by a 17-year-old teenager inside the lift of a HDB block along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10.
- On 12 and 13 October 2018, two women, aged 45 and 24 respectively, reported that they had boarded the car of a 38-year-old male GrabHitch driver, and was molested by him during the journey.
- On 30 October 2018, a 25-year-old woman reported that she was molested by a 35-year-old man on board a public bus.
The Police will continue to work closely with stakeholders and the community to prevent and deter outrage of modesty cases. Members of the public are advised to adopt the following crime prevention measures:
- Be aware of your surroundings and stay alert to any suspicious person(s);
- Avoid walking through dimly-lit and secluded places or taking the lift with a stranger;
- Carry along with you a shrill alarm; and
- If you are molested, seek help immediately from those around you. Take note of the prominent features and attire of the suspect as well as the direction in which he or she went. Call ‘999’ as soon as possible to increase the chances of apprehending the suspect early. If it is safe to do so, the victim or other witnesses of the crime may assist to detain the suspect while waiting for the Police to arrive.
Anyone convicted of outrage of modesty under Section 354(1) of the Penal Code, Chapter 224 shall be punished with an imprisonment term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with caning, or with any combination of such punishments. If the victim is under 14 years of age, the maximum imprisonment term will be increased to five years. The Police would also like to highlight that the commission of such an offence on board public transport is an aggravating factor that may result in a higher sentence.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
06 March 2019 @ 10:19 AM