Girl who joined week-long group assault on victim with low IQ gets reformative training

SINGAPORE: A 16-year-old girl who joined a week-long group assault on a teenage boy with low IQ was sentenced to at least one year of reformative training on Tuesday (Jul 26).

Reformative training is a harsher punishment than probation that detains younger offenders in a structured environment with an emphasis on rehabilitation.

The 19-year-old victim was reported missing by his social worker and younger sister, and eventually found in a critical condition in a hotel room on Tyrwhitt Road.

The girl, called A1 in court documents, cannot be named as she was a minor when she committed the offences and protected under the Children and Young Persons Act.

She carried out the assault together with Muhammad Shahfakhry Mohamad Faizal, 21, Putri Nuramira Aishah Rosli, 19, and another 16-year-old girl.

She pleaded guilty to one charge each of voluntarily causing hurt, mischief and taking methamphetamine.

The victim was studying at APSN Delta Senior School for students with mild intellectual disability prior to the incident.

He had known A1 since 2018, and met Shahfakhry through her in 2021.

ASSAULTED VICTIM, URINATED IN HIS DRINK

The court heard that on Jan 15, A1, Shahfakhry and Putri met at the hotel room to take drugs. The victim joined them after asking A1 where she was.

From Jan 17, the victim started staying over at the hotel room. That day, Shahfakhry started slapping, punching and kicking the victim.

A1 also became upset with the victim that day. She told Shahfakhry that the victim wanted to have sex with her without her consent.

Shahfakhry punched and kicked the victim after this, and A1 also slapped and kicked his head a few times. The other 16-year-old girl recorded a video of these acts.

From Jan 17 to Jan 25, the victim was abused with various implements and methods by A1 and her three co-accused. Some of the incidents were recorded, and A1 was present for most of them.

On Jan 19, A1 also had the idea to urinate into a bottle of iced lemon tea and give it to the victim, and did this.

When Shahfakhry asked A1 what was in the bottle, she said that it contained her urine. Shahfakhry then asked the victim to drink it, and the victim complied.

This constituted the charge of mischief against A1.

After the group saw that the victim was in a bad condition on Jan 25, they stopped hitting him and bought medication and bandages to tend to his wounds.

That same day, the victim's social worker and younger sister made police reports saying that the victim had not returned home after leaving about two weeks ago.

The victim's sister also told police that on Jan 23, she saw a social media post with a photo of someone badly injured, whom she recognised as her brother.

The police eventually traced the victim to the hotel and found him in a room with A1, Shahfakhry and Putri. All three were arrested then, and the other 16-year-old girl was also arrested later.

After methamphetamine was found in urine samples after her arrest, A1 also admitted to taking the drug.

VICTIM HAD BRAIN INJURY, CHEMICAL AND CIGARETTE BURNS

When police found the victim, he was assessed to be in critical condition and taken to hospital.

He was found to have amnesia possibly due to traumatic brain injury, and extensive pooling of blood at his scalp.

He had chemical burns to his scalp, face and back and a small amount of air in his upper chest, which was likely from traumatic perforation.

The victim also suffered fractures around his eye and cigarette butt burns, slash wounds and lacerations around his body.

Doctors had to provide nutritional support during his hospital stay from Jan 26 to Feb 4, as he was unable to take food orally partly due to acute stress reaction.

The punishment for voluntarily causing hurt is jail for up to three years, fined up to S$5,000 or both.

The offence of mischief is punishable with up to two years' jail, a fine or both.

Those who take methamphetamine can be jailed for one to 10 years and fined up to S$20,000.