Former policeman jailed six months for criminal breach of trust

SINGAPORE - A former police officer was on Monday jailed six months for pocketing $2,000 from a case he was supposed to hand over to his supervisors.

Ling Hock Huat, 39, seized $2,025.98 from an offender in an unlicensed moneylending case in Jan 2007, but did not reflect this in investigation documents. Instead, he used the money for personal expenses and to pay off debts he had incurred through gambling.

Ling, who pleaded guilty to one count of criminal breach of trust, said he was remorseful. Asking the court for leniency, he said he lives with his parents, both of whom have health issues, and has a son in Primary 2.

He could have been jailed up to 15 years and fined.

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