Man who threatened to upload teen's sex video online turns up drunk in court, is scolded by judge

SINGAPORE: A man who was due to be sentenced for threatening to upload a sexual video of a teenager turned up drunk in court on Thursday (Jul 19) and was scolded by the judge.

Naveenthiran Thevathas, 21, had pleaded guilty last week to one charge of extortion and another charge of stealing a POSB Passion debit card.

A third charge of transmitting an obscene video by WhatsApp was to be taken into consideration for sentencing.

According to the charge sheets, Naveenthiran had extorted S$2,000 from a 17-year-old boy around Valentine's Day this year by threatening to circulate a sexual video of him on social media.

Naveenthiran did this with another man, 23-year-old Nitesh Naidu Raj Kumar Naidu, and a 28-year-old woman, Chandanee Selvarajoo. 

The teenager, who cannot be named due to a gag order, gave the money to Naveenthiran on Feb 15.

On Thursday, Naveenthiran turned up at the State Courts with his friends and family and was visibly drunk. He had trouble walking properly and was held up by his loved ones, while security officers escorted him.

District Judge Kenneth Yap lectured Naveenthiran sharply while he stood in the dock.

"This is not a 7-Eleven, this is not a polyclinic," said the judge. "How can you turn up inebriated?"

The judge revoked Naveenthiran's S$20,000 bail and he was remanded. The case was adjourned to Jul 23, while his accomplices will be in court later this month.

For committing extortion, Naveenthiran could receive a jail term of between two years and seven years, and caned. For theft, he could be jailed for up to three years and fined.