Jail for man who threatened ex-wife with knife, sent ex-girlfriend's nude photo to her family and punched ex-lover

SINGAPORE: A man who behaved aggressively towards three women was sentenced to five months' jail on Tuesday (Oct 8).

The 29-year-old man, who cannot be named due to a gag order, pleaded guilty to two charges of criminal intimidation and one charge of voluntarily causing hurt, with another three charges taken into consideration.

The court heard that the man worked occasionally as an odd-job labourer. He was dating a 33-year-old woman when she ended the relationship around May 2017 to get back with her husband.

The man threatened to make things difficult for her if she left him, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Kathy Chu.

He sent photos of himself with the woman to the woman's husband and her family friends. He also sent a nude photo of the woman to her husband, her father and godmother.

At about 5pm on May 31, 2017, the man sent the woman a message on WhatsApp, saying: "Later you just wait after breaking fast, I will send everything to your in-law."

He knew that the woman would understand this to mean he would distribute nude photos of her to her family members.

At about 7pm that day, the man created a group chat on WhatsApp and added the woman, her brother, her sister-in-law and some of her friends to the chat.

He sent a photo of the woman lying on the bed to the chat, and put up a close-up photo of the woman sleeping as the chat's display picture.

That night, the woman filed a police report.

THREATENED EX-WIFE WHILE ARMED WITH KNIFE

More than a year after this, the man flared up at his 32-year-old ex-wife, with whom he shared joint custody of their 10-year-old daughter.

The woman left their daughter with the accused on the evening of Aug 24, 2018, saying she would pick her up a few days later.

When she returned to her ex-husband's home with her boyfriend on Aug 26, 2018, the accused woke up from his nap and started shouting at her.

She had arrived earlier than originally agreed.

The man went after his ex-wife and threatened her, shouting: "Don't need to talk so much, I just take the knife and stab you. Easier like that!"

He then rushed to get a knife that was 15cm long, intending to alarm his ex-wife, the court heard. The woman ran from her ex-husband, who was held back by his father and the woman's boyfriend.

The man later refused to return their daughter to his ex-wife, and asked his father to tell the ex-wife that she would regret it if she were to make a police report.

While on bail, the man did not turn up for a court hearing on Dec 14, 2018, and a warrant of arrest was issued against him.

HE PUNCHED EX-GIRLFRIEND, DRAGGED HER DOWN STAIRS

During this time, he assaulted another ex-girlfriend.

He had dated the 30-year-old woman for more than a year before ending their relationship in January 2019.

Around that month, he punched the woman in her right eye near the stairwell at his home.

The woman's eye area was bruised and swollen for two weeks. A month later, he dragged her down a flight of stairs.

He also climbed over a parapet in May this year, saying "if this is what you want, then I will jump". The woman called the police that day, saying a man was outside her home trying to harass her family.

The man had been violent and verbally abusive towards her throughout the course of their relationship, said the prosecutor.

However, the man was arrested only on Jul 28 this year, after he went home. His father, who was also his bailor, called the police.

For each charge of criminal intimidation, he could have been jailed for up to two years, fined, or both.

For voluntarily causing hurt, he could have been jailed for up to two years, fined a maximum S$5,000 or both.