Advertisement

I was high at the time of incident: S'porean navy officer

UPDATE 10 August, 330pm

The Singaporean navy officer charged with committing indecent acts on a fellow student at a military college in Australia allegedly says he was "high" at the time of the incident.

Lieutenant (LTA) Benedict Ang Yong Chuean, 21, who was then an international student with the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) in Canberra was charged with two acts of indecency in May.

On Thursday, Ang maintained his "not guilty" plea in front of the Magistrates Court in Canberra, meaning his case will now go to trial later this morning, reported The Canberra Times.

Ang, a former Sword of Honour winner, is alleged to have entered a fellow officer cadet's room at the military school in the early hours of May 6. He is alleged to have laid on her bed and rubbed her back, shoulder and neck.

The alleged victim asked Ang to leave, but he held her jaw in a ''pistol grip'' so she could not move her head, according to a court document. Police also allege that he tried several times to put his tongue into her mouth, despite her protests.

Court documents said the female cadet officer felt "sick and powerless" but fell asleep anyway because she thought Ang would leave. When she awoke a short time later, Ang was allegedly squeezing her breast.

She then later confided in other officer cadets, who confronted Ang, who is alleged to have replied, ''Yeah I know what you're talking about. I admit that I f---ed up. I was too high at the time and I f---ed up. I told her that I'm sorry''.

The case will go to trial later this month.

Ang, a former student at ACS Independent who is known to be an avid diver, has been with the Republic of Singapore Navy since July 2010.

According to his lawyer, Ang is currently studying at the University of New South Wales in Sydney.

The ADFA is a tri-service military Academy that provides military and tertiary academic education for junior officers from the army, navy and airforce of the Australian Defence Force.