Entertainment lawyer Samuel Seow reported to police for allegedly assaulting staff

Entertainment lawyer Samuel Seow allegedly threw a metal stapler at a former Beam Artistes employee, cutting her and causing bleeding. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

SINGAPORE - A police report has been filed against entertainment lawyer Samuel Seow for alleged physical and verbal assault against two former employees, one of whom is his niece, in separate incidents.

Mr Seow, 45, who has defended celebrities including actress Michelle Saram, is both the managing director of Samuel Seow Law Corporation and the owner of the Beam Artistes management firm.

In a press conference on Wednesday (May 16), Mr Seow apologised for slapping his niece during a physical scuffle between the both of them.

He said the matter was a family dispute, and that he had acted in his capacity as an uncle and not as an employer.

"I shouldn't have done that to be honest, and I apologise to my family for that," he said, adding: "If you put a recording device in any family on a bad day, I don't think all of us would be proud of every single moment."

However, Mr Seow denied all the allegations made by the other former employee over another incident, saying that while he was a strict disciplinarian who shouts, he had never done anything physical towards her.

Mr Seow allegedly threw a metal stapler at a former Beam Artistes employee, cutting her and causing bleeding. The police report also claimed he bruised her by hitting and pushing her to the ground, threw cold water on her face, and shouted at her: "I will take a knife and kill you."

He is also said to have assaulted his niece, the former legal employee, on April 17 "over some work-related issue".

In a 30-minute audio clip that supposedly recorded the incident at Samuel Seow Law Corporation, screaming and scuffling can be heard.

At one point another employee can be heard saying: "You pushed me down to the floor."

The police report was filed on Saturday, and The Straits Times understands that they are investigating a case of voluntarily causing hurt against two people.

The former Beam Artistes employee said she lodged a complaint with the Law Society of Singapore on Wednesday.

The legal employee in the report declined to comment due to privacy concerns. But the former Beam Artistes employee, now unemployed, told ST that she was especially saddened because she used to consider Mr Seow a friend.

She said Mr Seow shouted most days but she did not know why he became angry so often, adding: "Through this case, I just hope that he can get the help that he really needs."

In a Facebook post made earlier on Wednesday, which also denied the accusations, Mr Seow said: "People can say what they want without any care for the truth. There are some very irresponsible and despicable people out there who will take some perverse delight in causing this."

The post continued: "I am sorry to my family and friends for the worry this will cause. I am ok. Those who know me will know the truth."

A Law Society of Singapore spokesman declined to comment.

Mr Seow's firm Beam Artistes, which was formed in 2005, also manages the annual male pageant Manhunt.

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