Man jailed for molesting man on crowded train after 'finding him good-looking'

SINGAPORE: A 43-year-old man was jailed for five months on Friday (Apr 30) for repeatedly molesting a younger man on a crowded train during peak hours.

Raymond Tan Guan Teng pleaded guilty to two counts of using criminal force to outrage the modesty of the 36-year-old man, whose identity is protected by gag order.

Another two counts of molestation were considered in sentencing.

The court heard that the victim boarded a train at Choa Chu Kang MRT Station towards Marina Bay MRT Station at around 7.40am on Feb 25 last year. 

He was in the first carriage of the train, which was crowded at the time. Tan boarded the train at Canberra MRT Station at about 8.10am and stood on the left of the victim, who was leaning against a door.

Tan "found the victim good-looking" and wanted to catch his attention, the court heard.

As the train was moving, Tan molested the man's buttock. The victim saw that Tan was carrying a sling bag over his shoulder and assumed the bag had touched him.

About 10 minutes later, Tan used the knuckles of his hand to tap the victim's buttock again. Feeling uncomfortable, the victim looked down to see Tan's bag and shifted his body to create space between himself and Tan.

However, Tan moved in closer and again tapped the victim's buttocks with his knuckles, with the victim moving further away again.

At around 8.30am, while the train was at Bishan MRT, Tan turned around to face the door as the doors would be opening on his side of the carriage. 

He was now standing on the right side of the victim, who looked down and saw Tan's hand near the victim's crotch. As the train moved, Tan molested the victim on the crotch.

The victim felt outraged and took a step backwards, covering his crotch with his hands. He was stunned and continued looking straight at the train door.

He alighted at Braddell station, indicating to Tan to move out of the way as Tan was standing very close to him. Tan followed the victim out of the train station to a 7-11 store nearby, where he tried to start a conversation with the victim.

The victim lodged a police report later that morning, and Tan was identified via closed-circuit television camera footage and arrested by the police.

The prosecutor asked for at least six months' jail, saying the offences took place over half an hour. He made unwelcome advances towards the victim in acts that escalated in intrusiveness, said the prosecutor.

On top of this, the offences were committed on public transport, which is an aggravating factor, he said.

For each charge of molestation, Tan could have been jailed for up to two years, fined, caned or given any combination of such punishments.