Ten men, aged between 21 and 50, will be charged in court on 19 January 2023 for their suspected involvement in separate cases of outrage of modesty.
The cases are as follows:
Between 2018 and 2020, a 25-year-old man allegedly molested a girl, who was then between 10 and 12 years old, on multiple occasions. The man will be charged with three counts of outrage of modesty of a person below 14 years of age under Section 354(2) of the Penal Code.
Sometime in 2019, a 50-year-old man allegedly molested a then 13-year-old girl at a staircase landing of a HDB block along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4. The man will be charged with one count of outrage of modesty of a person below 14 years of age under Section 354(2) of the Penal Code.
- On 1 August 2020, a 27-year-old man allegedly molested a then-14-year-old boy at a restaurant along Paya Lebar Road. The man will be charged with one count of outrage of modesty under Section 354(1) of the Penal Code.
- On 7 July 2022, a 24-year-old man allegedly molested a then 11-year-old girl in a lift of a residential block along Bishan Street 22. The man will be charged with one count of outrage of modesty of a person below 14 years of age under Section 354(2) of the Penal Code 1871. He will also be charged with one count of causing alarm or distress under Section 4(2) of the Protection from Harassment Act 2014 for allegedly exposing his genitals while standing behind the girl in the lift.
- On 26 July 2022, a 33-year-old man allegedly molested a 27-year-old woman at a coffeeshop along Jurong East Avenue 1. The man will be charged with one count of outrage of modesty under Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871.
- On 5 August 2022, a 33-year-old man allegedly molested a 31-year-old woman in a bus travelling along Alexandra Road. The man will be charged with one count of outrage of modesty under Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871. He will also be charged with one count of fraudulent possession under Section 35(1) of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act 1906 for possession of an EZ-Link card reasonably suspected of being fraudulently obtained.
- On 24 September 2022, a 21-year-old man allegedly molested a 22-year-old woman at a club along Bayfront Avenue. The man will be charged with one count of outrage of modesty under Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871.
- On 13 November 2022, a 33-year-old man allegedly molested a 34-year-old woman at a pub along Neil Road. The man will be charged with one count of outrage of modesty under Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871.
- On 10 December 2022, a 45-year-old man allegedly molested a 25-year-old woman at a club along Bayfront Avenue. The man will be charged with one count of outrage of modesty under Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871.
- On 17 December 2022, a 29-year-old man allegedly molested a 27-year-old woman at a club along Bayfront Avenue on two occasions. The man will be charged with two counts of outrage of modesty under Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871.
The offence of outrage of modesty under Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871 carries an imprisonment term which may extend to three years, a fine, caning, or any combination of such punishments. The offence of outrage of modesty of a person below 14 years of age under Section 354(2) of the Penal Code 1871 carries an imprisonment term which may extend to five years, a fine, caning, or any combination of such punishments.
Outrage of modesty cases remain a key concern for the Police. The Police have zero tolerance towards sexual offenders who threaten the personal safety of those in the community, and offenders will be dealt with sternly in accordance with the law. The Police will continue to work closely with various stakeholders, such as public entertainment outlets, public transport operators, and the community, to prevent and deter outrage of modesty cases. The Police would also like to urge members of the public to remain vigilant and to report the matter to the Police immediately, if they witness an incident of outrage of modesty, or are aware of someone being a victim of outrage of modesty.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
18 January 2023 @ 6:00 PM