SINGAPORE: A 51-year-old man was sentenced to 17 months’ jail on Tuesday (May 30) for the “brazen and outrageous” sexual assault of a 9-year-old girl at a bus stop along Rivervale Crescent in broad daylight on Mar 1.
Neo Beng Yeow, who is unemployed, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one count of aggravated sexual assault for “forcefully” kissing the schoolgirl, grabbing her buttocks and trying to carry her away.
Passer-by Ms Cheryl Wong witnessed the assault from the platform at Rumbia LRT station, and rushed to the bus stop to pull the girl from Neo’s grip.
Neo tried to flee but was stopped by Ms Wong. He lied that the girl was his niece.
The schoolgirl, who was in tears after the assault, said Neo had come up to her at the bus stop at about 2.30pm and told her she was cute. He touched her hair before grabbing and kissing her, and trying to pick her up.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Gail Wong sought an 18-month jail term, calling the assault “brazen and outrageous”, committed “in broad daylight in a public place”.
DPP Wong said the girl “had her first kiss stolen by a stranger”, and that the middle-aged man “has destroyed for her the innocence of an affectionate kiss given by an adult to a child (and) robbed her of the experience of giving away her first kiss to a loved one”.
The prosecutor also pointed out that Neo had grabbed at the girl’s head, shoulder and buttocks, and touched “multiple parts of her body”. The assault also features “elements of wrongful restraint”, a further aggravating factor, DPP Wong said.
In her victim impact statement, the girl recalled being hugged “tightly” by Neo, and not being able to get away because “he was too strong”. The girl had to be pulled out of Neo’s grip, DPP Wong said.
“(Neo) treated her like a ragdoll … (she) was absolutely helpless, (and) had no control over what was being done to her.”
A psychiatric report by the Institute of Mental Health stated that Neo does not suffer from a paraphilic disorder and is not intellectually disabled, and his risk of sexual re-offending is low.
But pointing to Neo’s previous brushes with the law – including a conviction for setting a rubbish bin on fire – DPP Wong said he has shown “a continuing act of disobedience of the law”.
Neo was sentenced to 15 months’ jail. As he is over 50 and cannot be caned, he was sentenced to an additional eight weeks’ jail, resulting in a total of 17 months’ imprisonment.
For aggravated sexual assault, Neo could have been jailed for up to five years and/or fined or caned.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news...sexual-assault-of-schoolgirl-in-broad-8895318
Neo Beng Yeow, who is unemployed, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one count of aggravated sexual assault for “forcefully” kissing the schoolgirl, grabbing her buttocks and trying to carry her away.
Passer-by Ms Cheryl Wong witnessed the assault from the platform at Rumbia LRT station, and rushed to the bus stop to pull the girl from Neo’s grip.
Neo tried to flee but was stopped by Ms Wong. He lied that the girl was his niece.
The schoolgirl, who was in tears after the assault, said Neo had come up to her at the bus stop at about 2.30pm and told her she was cute. He touched her hair before grabbing and kissing her, and trying to pick her up.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Gail Wong sought an 18-month jail term, calling the assault “brazen and outrageous”, committed “in broad daylight in a public place”.
DPP Wong said the girl “had her first kiss stolen by a stranger”, and that the middle-aged man “has destroyed for her the innocence of an affectionate kiss given by an adult to a child (and) robbed her of the experience of giving away her first kiss to a loved one”.
The prosecutor also pointed out that Neo had grabbed at the girl’s head, shoulder and buttocks, and touched “multiple parts of her body”. The assault also features “elements of wrongful restraint”, a further aggravating factor, DPP Wong said.
In her victim impact statement, the girl recalled being hugged “tightly” by Neo, and not being able to get away because “he was too strong”. The girl had to be pulled out of Neo’s grip, DPP Wong said.
“(Neo) treated her like a ragdoll … (she) was absolutely helpless, (and) had no control over what was being done to her.”
A psychiatric report by the Institute of Mental Health stated that Neo does not suffer from a paraphilic disorder and is not intellectually disabled, and his risk of sexual re-offending is low.
But pointing to Neo’s previous brushes with the law – including a conviction for setting a rubbish bin on fire – DPP Wong said he has shown “a continuing act of disobedience of the law”.
Neo was sentenced to 15 months’ jail. As he is over 50 and cannot be caned, he was sentenced to an additional eight weeks’ jail, resulting in a total of 17 months’ imprisonment.
For aggravated sexual assault, Neo could have been jailed for up to five years and/or fined or caned.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news...sexual-assault-of-schoolgirl-in-broad-8895318
