Woman pleads guilty to entering Singapore illegally to look for son

ScoutTrooper · Sep 5, 2014

Updated: 09/04/2014 19:21 | By Channel NewsAsia

Woman pleads guilty to entering Singapore illegally to look for son

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SINGAPORE: A mother pleaded guilty on Thursday (Sep 4) to entering Singapore illegally via a chartered vessel from Malaysia, so that she could take back her two-year-old son, who had been living here with his paternal grandparents.

The 30-year-old woman - whose name and nationality cannot be revealed to protect the identity of the boy - has the custody of her son, as ruled by the English Court in January. However, instead of entering Singapore legally, the woman came over in a vessel from Langkawi along with two other foreigners, and disembarked at Raffles Marina on Aug 19 at about 6am.

The court heard the woman's husband had previously made police reports against her and she was afraid she would be arrested upon her arrival, if she had tried to clear immigration.

Speaking through an interpreter, the woman told the court she misses her son and had been depressed. "Desperate" to see her son, the woman sought the help of non-governmental organisation (NGO) Child Abduction Recovery International in June, to bring her son back to London.

Her travel companions - British citizen Adam Christopher Whittington who runs the NGO, as well as Australian national Todd Allan Wilson, who drove the vessel - also pleaded guilty on Thursday to entering Singapore illegally.

The court heard Wilson, who had slowed the vessel to allow the woman and Whittington to disembark, was arrested in the waters around Raffles Marina. The woman and Whittington then proceeded to look for the boy.

Whittington also admitted to "arm-locking" the boy's grandfather and hurting the neck of the boy's grandmother in a scuffle at their home.

Describing this as a "peculiar" immigration case, prosecutors asked the court for some time to prepare their case for sentencing. The trio will learn of their fate on Monday (Sep 8).

For their immigration offences, they face a maximum penalty of a year's jail and a S$4,000 fine. Whittington also faces up to two years' jail and a S$5,000 fine for hurting the boy's grandmother, and three months' jail and a S$1,500 fine for "arm-locking" the boy's grandfather. - CNA/ek

ScoutTrooper · Sep 9, 2014

Updated: 09/08/2014 11:13 | By Channel NewsAsia

Mother who entered Singapore illegally to look for son given 10 weeks' jail

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SINGAPORE: The mother who pleaded guilty to entering Singapore illegally via a chartered vessel from Malaysia was on Monday (Sep 8) sentenced to 10 weeks' jail.

The 30-year-old woman - whose name and nationality cannot be revealed to protect the identity of the boy - entered the country to take back her two-year-old son, of whom she had custody over as ruled by the English Court in January.

However, she entered the country illegally via a vessel from Langkawi because her husband had previously made police reports against her and she was afraid of being arrested on arrival. She pleaded guilty to illegal entry into Singapore last Thursday.

The woman told District Judge Liew Thiam Leng that she and her husband had agreed to let the latter's parents to take care of the boy for two months before sending him to the United Kingdom. But the boy remained in Singapore after the two months, despite the English Court's custody ruling.

The mother travelled to Singapore with two foreigners - Briton Adam Christopher Whittington, who runs the non-governmental organisation Child Abduction Recovery International, and Australian Todd Allan Wilson, who drove the vessel.

Whittington was sentenced to 16 weeks' jail, while Wilson was sentenced to 10 weeks' jail. The court gave the former a higher jail sentence for his active role in hatching the plan to recover the child, and for hurting the boy's grandparents.

Whittington had admitted earlier to "arm-locking" the boy's grandfather and hurting the neck of the boy's grandmother in a scuffle at their home.

TAKING THE LAW INTO THEIR HANDS

DJ Liew said he considered the pleas of the three, and concluded that they had taken the law into their own hands. The plan to take the boy from Singapore was premeditated and well planned, he stated.

The woman had contracted Child Abduction Recovery International in June this year. Whittington then contacted Wilson, and met him five days before the plan to take the boy was carried out.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ailene Chou said Whittington had entered Singapore to conduct reconnaissance, such as the layout of the grandparents' residence and their daily routine. He also researched the vessel route from Langkawi to Singapore, and found out that Raffles Marina Club had an armed guard only during the club's operating hours between 9am and 5pm. He also prepared supplies for the vessel, including a passport and diapers for the boy.

Whittington pleaded for a lighter sentence, saying his grandmother who brought him up passed away last Wednesday and he hoped to return home to pay his last respects. Wilson also apologised, and wanted to be home to take care of his two children.

The woman, too, apologised in court, saying she felt guilty for her actions.

"However, I want to see my son. I am exhausted. Every night, I can't sleep as I keep thinking of my son," she said. "If my son can speak, I'm sure he will say, 'Mummy, come pick me up'."

The jail sentences of the three will be backdated to Aug 21, when they were remanded.

SECURITY FOR RAFFLES MARINA UNDER REVIEW

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Home Affairs said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and Singapore Police Force are working with Raffles Marina to review its security measures and identify areas for improvement.

"Under the law, all authorised landing/departing points must put in place the necessary security measures to maintain the integrity of our border security and prevent unauthorised entry into or out of Singapore from their premises," the spokesperson said.

Crew and passengers arriving in Singapore by pleasure craft and yachts are required to seek immigration clearance at either the Western Quarantine and Immigration Anchorage, or Changi General Purpose Anchorage, which are open around the clock. Immigration clearance at Raffles Marina is only available from 9am to 5pm. - CNA/kk

Woman pleads guilty to entering Singapore illegally to look for son

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