Man in wheelchair, 69, jailed two weeks for molesting domestic helper

SINGAPORE - A man in a wheelchair took advantage of a domestic helper who was taking care of him and molested her.

Heng Thiam Soon, 69, was sentenced to two weeks' jail on Friday (Sept 11) after pleading guilty to one count of outraging the modesty of the Myanmar national.

The 25-year-old cannot be named because of a gag order to protect her identity.

Two other similar charges were taken into consideration during sentencing by Senior District Judge Ong Hian Sun.

The court heard on Friday that the maid started working at Heng's residence in April last year. It was not stated if she is still working there.

She was hired by Heng's wife to take care of him, as he had limited mobility due to a stroke suffered in 2018.

Some time between May and July 2019, Heng told the maid to retrieve an item near him.

He then touched her buttocks when she did so.

In response, she pushed his hand away and told him that he cannot touch her.

The incident was eventually reported to the police in July 2019, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Jun Chong.

Urging the court to jail Heng for three weeks, the DPP noted that the maid had gone near Heng to retrieve the item for him, as she trusted him.

"He exploited this by molesting her," DPP Ng added.

In mitigation, Heng's lawyer Wilbur Lua asked the court to impose a fine on his client instead.

Mr Lua also said that Heng is currently staying at a nursing home and is under constant supervision.

"There is little rehabilitative point in imprisoning him," the lawyer added.

For outraging the modesty of a domestic worker, Heng could have been jailed for up to four years and/or fined. He cannot be caned, as he is above 50 years old.

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