Man, 27, who molested 2 men and spat at woman given probation
SINGAPORE — Months after he grabbed a man’s penis at an MRT station, he molested another man while on board a double decker bus.
On another occasion, Ernest Tan En Dian, 27, spat at a woman who had confronted him over a molest allegation.
Tan was sentenced to 18 months’ probation on Monday (16 December) on one count of molest and one count of using criminal force. One count each of molest and doing an obscene act committed by Tan, when he was on an MRT station platform in Jurong East, were considered for sentencing.
As part of his probation, Tan will have to follow a time curfew and undergo psychiatric treatment. He has been diagnosed with intellectual disability with behavioural disabilities.
Tan’s parents were also placed on a $5,000 bond to ensure his good behaviour.
The victims of Tan’s offences cannot be named due to a gag order imposed by the court.
According to his charge sheets, at about 8.20pm on 5 May 2017, Tan rubbed his lips with his fingers and touched his penis, causing annoyance to a 22-year-old man at the MRT platform. Tan also grabbed the victim’s penis.
On 15 July that year, Tan molested a 19-year-old man while on board the second deck of bus service 188. At about 8pm, while the bus headed towards Choa Chu Kang bus interchange, Tan walked past the man and stroked him from groin to thigh. He then smiled at the man before walking to the lower deck.
The victim later reported the incident to the staff at the bus interchange before calling the police.
Spat at woman’s tudung
In a separate incident on 9 February last year, a 44-year-old woman confronted Tan for allegedly molesting her while in a train.
At about 6.35pm, the woman and Tan alighted at Choa Chu Kang MRT station. As she felt that Tan had molested her, she confronted him. During the confrontation, Tan spat at her and the spittle landed on her chin and tudung.
The woman tried to grab Tan as he left the scene and sought help from MRT staff, who came to her assistance.
For molest, Tan could have been jailed up to two years, and/or fined, and/or caned. For using criminal force, he could have been jailed up to three months and/or fined a maximum $1,500.
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