Jailed for break-in, hurting woman out of jealousy

Angry that the woman he had feelings for could not meet him, Shao Changdong broke into her flat, threatened her with a knife and grabbed her neck so hard that it fractured.

The 27-year-old Chinese national then tried to take her back to his home but the police arrested him near a 7-Eleven store.

Shao was sentenced to 41/2 years' jail yesterday after pleading guilty to one charge each of abduction, housebreaking, causing grievous hurt and criminal intimidation. Two similar charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

The court heard that Shao got to know the victim, a 28-year-old Singaporean woman, when they were renting bedrooms in the same flat in 2016. She moved out in July 2019.

Shao confessed his feelings to her some time in the middle of last year but he was turned down. The two continued to stay in touch, as Shao owed her money.

On Sept 5 last year, Shao wanted to send fruits to the woman's house but she was out with her friends.

Angry and jealous, as he believed her friends included other men, he headed to her house with a foldable knife, two sleeping pills, a white cloth and a bottle containing a mixture of water and cleaning agent. He entered the flat using a key the victim kept at a window sill and forced open her locked bedroom door.

The victim screamed when she returned home and saw him behind the bedroom door. To stop her screaming, Shao grabbed her neck so tightly that she could not breathe. He then locked the door and covered her face using the cloth with the cleaning agent.

Shao instructed her to swallow the sleeping pills he brought, but she pretended to comply. He held the knife against her neck, saying: "If you do not want to see blood, you'd better listen to what I say."

He dragged her out of her home and they stopped at a convenience store to buy drinks and cigarettes.

There, the victim held onto a display shelf as Shao pulled her, causing it to topple. He then carried her out of the store as she flailed about.

A taxi driver saw the commotion and called the police. When the police approached them, Shao placed the victim in a chokehold, but let go when the officers told him to do so.

The victim was taken to Singapore General Hospital where she was diagnosed with a fractured bone in her neck. She was given 20 days of medical leave.

Seeking a jail term of between four and six years, Deputy Public Prosecutor Kathy Chu said there was a high degree of premeditation and planning involved.

Shao, who was unrepresented, said in mitigation that he never intended to hurt the victim. "I like her and I wouldn't harm her. I only used the knife to intimidate her... the sleeping pills were to help her rest."

For voluntarily causing grievous hurt and housebreaking, Shao could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined or caned for each offence.

For abduction, he could have been jailed for up to seven years, fined and caned.