Man with special needs found guilty of banging into senior, who was flung against a railing and died

SINGAPORE – While sprinting to catch a bus, Looi Kai Ye paid no heed to an elderly man walking in front of him and rammed into the latter with great force.

The impact caused the 76-year-old to hit his head against a metal railing, and he died of head injuries hours later.

Looi, a 37-year-old with special needs, was on Jan 30 found guilty of causing grievous hurt by an act that endangers personal safety.

He was also convicted of three other offences – voluntarily causing hurt that causes grievous hurt, using criminal force with intent to outrage modesty and committing an obscene act.

Another two counts of committing an obscene act will be taken into consideration for his sentencing on Feb 23.

The court heard that Looi is autistic, has bipolar disorder and that his intellectual functioning is in the borderline range.

At around noon on Sept 5, 2023, he was running to catch a bus, on a pavement next to Block 101 Tampines Avenue 2, when he ran straight into the elderly man.

The closed-circuit television footage played in court showed that the victim was flung against a railing before falling to the ground.

Instead of helping the victim, Looi boarded a bus and left. The senior was taken to Changi General Hospital where his condition deteriorated and he fell into a coma. He died on Sept 6.

In April that year, Looi was leaving a bank in Tampines Central. Deputy Public Prosecutor Sivanathan Jheevanesh said Looi perceived a 67-year-old woman, who was walking towards Looi, to be in his way.

When he pushed her hard on the chest, she fell to the ground and lost consciousness momentarily. Looi left without helping her.

She suffered head injuries, a tailbone fracture and abrasions on her elbows.

In March 2021, Looi molested a 27-year-old woman who was queueing at a food stall near Pasir Ris MRT station by thrusting himself at her.

When she turned around, he repeated the act before fleeing the scene.

A few days later, Looi entered a flat that was left unlocked and urinated in it. He ran away after the flat owner caught him red-handed.

In September 2023, Looi was assessed by Institute of Mental Health (IMH) psychiatrist Cheow Enquan, who found that he was not of unsound mind when he forcefully collided with the 76-year-old man.

Dr Cheow added that Looi was also not in relapse of bipolar disorder.

However, his mental conditions were found to have significant contributory links to his molestation offence.

Dr Sajith Sreedharan Geetha from IMH found that his behaviour “appeared to be related to his longstanding intense interest in women wearing leather clothing, and a tendency to behave in a socially inappropriate and impulsive manner”.

Dr Geetha added that Looi was aware of and in control of his actions at the time.

The prosecution is seeking a jail term ranging from 10 months and a week to 14 months and two weeks, and a high fine.

Looi’s lawyer, Mr Ranjit Singh, sought to have his client assessed for mandatory treatment order and probation. This was rejected by District Judge Kessler Soh who said the accused’s offences caused serious harm.

For causing grievous hurt by an act that endangers personal safety, an offender can be jailed for up to four years and fined up to $10,000.