5 women attacked teen outside St James nightclub for flirting with their friend's boyfriend
SINGAPORE — A group of five women assaulted a teen outside a nightclub because they thought she had flirted with a boyfriend of one of their friends, a court heard.
At the State Courts on Thursday (2 May), one of the assailants, Grace Quek Xin Hui pleaded guilty to her role in the group assault.
The 23-year-old art school student pleaded guilty to one charge each of rioting, criminal intimidation and causing hurt.
She will be sentenced at a later date, pending a probation suitability report.
Slapped, kicked, punched victim
In the early hours of 15 December 2017, Quek was at a nightclub at St James Power Station with her friends Gina Yeo Kai Ting, 22, Tey Shi Hui, 22, Jamie Thng Yu Xuan, 23, and Ang Pek Ling, 21.
At another club nearby, the victim Terine Ng Qian Hui, 19, was drinking with her colleague.
Yeo complained to the group that Ng had kissed the boyfriend of one of her friends, and Thng decided to confront Ng.
Thng shouted vulgarities at Ng, asking why she had flirted with someone else’s boyfriend, Deputy Public Prosecutor Rimplejit Kaur told the court.
When Ng denied the allegation, Thng and her friends assaulted her.
Thng pushed and punched Ng, and also pulled her hair. Tey pulled Ng’s hair, and slapped and punched her. Ang grabbed Ng’s hair and tried to kick her. Yeo punched Ng’s face.
Quek punched Ng on the head and nose. She also pulled Ng by her hair to the ground, held a lighter near her face, and threatened to burn her face and hair.
Ng eventually managed to escape from the gang with the help of an unknown passer-by and ran into a nightclub, where she remained until she felt that it was safe for her to leave.
Assaulted victim’s friend
After Ng fled, the group of assailants could not find her. But they came across Ng’s friend Petrina Lok Mei Wan, 21, and confronted her.
When Lok said she did not know where Ng was, the group assaulted her. They slapped, kicked and punched her, and also pulled her hair.
Quek also held a lighter near Lok’s face and threatened to burn her face and hair.
The group stopped the assault when a bouncer intervened, the court heard.
Assaulted former colleague
Half a year later, on 8 May 2016, Quek also assaulted a former colleague at another club at St James Power Station.
The victim Hooi Zi En, 29, was dancing on the stage when Quek went up to her and warned her to stop spreading rumours about her.
Quek slapped Hooi’s face four times before walking back to her table at the club.
Hooi then suggested to Quek that they talk outside the club, so that they could clarify matters as Hooi felt she hadn’t done anything wrong, the court heard.
But outside the club, Quek pushed Hooi and caused her to fall to the ground before going back inside.
Accomplices sentenced
Quek is expected to be sentenced on May 30. In her mitigation plea, lawyer Josephus Tan told the court that Quek has since cut off contact with her negative peers.
District Judge Ng Cheng Thiam called for a probation suitability report.
Quek can be jailed up to two years and fined up to $5,000 for causing hurt.
For criminal intimidation, she can be jailed up to two years and fined.
The maximum punishment for rioting is up to seven years’ jail.
Quek’s accomplices in the December 2017 assault have been dealt with. Tey, Ang and Yeo got probation for rioting. Thng was sentenced to reformative training for rioting as well as drug offences.
More Singapore stories:
DPM Heng affirms continuation of PAP-NTUC relationship; WP calls for more help for older PMETs
NUS committee on sexual misconduct to propose recommendations by mid-May
