Former S'pore lawyer Gopalan Nair let off with warning after pleading contempt of court
Posted: 13 November 2008 1046 hrs

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SINGAPORE: Former Singapore lawyer Gopalan Nair will not be jailed for contempt of court, but has been given a telling-off and warning against making attacks against the Singapore Judiciary in future.

In contempt of court proceedings brought against Nair by the Attorney-General on Wednesday, Nair admitted in open court that he had made statements that were punishable as contempt of court.

He then went on to offer an unreserved apology to the court and to District Judge James Leong for offending comments that he had made.

The Attorney-General brought Nair to court for remarks made in the course of a trial in the Subordinate Courts between July and September this year, attacking the Singapore Judiciary and District Judge James Leong by stating that the courts were being abused for political ends.

He later repeated comments on the independence and impartiality of the Singapore Judiciary and District Judge James Leong in two blog postings about the trial.

However on Wednesday, Nair admitted in the Subordinate Courts that he had made utterances and statements that were punishable as contempt of court and went on to offer an unreserved apology to the court and to District Judge James Leong.

Nair also stated, in public and on record, that he unconditionally withdrew the allegations made against the District Judge and any statements imputing that the Singapore courts are beholden to the government.

The former lawyer also undertook in public not to make such statements in future and to remove the offending blog posts as soon as possible.

In view of Nair's unreserved apologies and undertakings which were made in public and on record, the Deputy Solicitor-General told the court that the Attorney-General would not be pressing for a jail sentence.

Considering that Nair had purged his contempt and had shown remorse, District Judge Leslie Chew admonished Nair, warning him against launching attacks against the Singapore Judiciary in future.

Nair was also ordered to pay legal costs to the Attorney-General.

- CNA/sf