SINGAPORE: A drunk man molested a 12-year-old girl and fled when the girl's mother gave chase, shouting at him.
She lost sight of the molester only when her slippers gave way, and after taking a photo of him as three passers-by held him in place.
Thanikkodi Shanmugam, a 51-year-old Indian national and Singapore permanent resident, was sentenced to five months' jail on Tuesday (Sep 5).
He pleaded guilty to one count of using criminal force on a minor to outrage her modesty.
The court heard that the 12-year-old girl was with her mother at a supermarket in Sembawang at about 12.30pm on Jul 17, 2022.
Shanmugam had consumed hard liquor and was intoxicated at the time, said the prosecutor.
As he walked past the victim, he reached out with his hand and touched her groin over her clothes, intending to outrage her modesty.
The girl, shocked and angered, said: "Oi!"
Shanmugam walked off, and the girl told her mother what happened, pointing at the man.
The victim's mother then ran after Shanmugam, with her daughter following. This was captured on closed-circuit television footage.
The victim's mother shouted at Shanmugam, asking him to stop and asking him why he had touched her daughter.
Shanmugam ignored her and continued to walk away, later breaking into a run. He took a lift up a block of flats while the victim's mother called the police.
Shanmugam then reappeared at the scene. The victim's mother shouted at him again, and this time he took off on a bicycle.
After he stopped and continued to run on foot, three passers-by helped to stop him.
The victim's mother then took a photo of him, but Shanmugam broke free and ran off.
The victim's mother continued chasing him until her slippers "broke", said the prosecutor. She then lost sight of him.
Meanwhile her daughter, shivering, remained with the passers-by, who tried to calm her down.
He pleaded guilty to one count of using criminal force on a minor to outrage her modesty.
Shanmugam was identified and arrested that same afternoon. When first interviewed by the police, he denied the offence, saying the touch was "accidental" and that he did not remember the incident.
For molesting a minor, he could have been jailed for up to five years, fined, or both. He cannot be caned as he is above 50.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sin...mother-chased-slippers-broke-gave-way-3747241
