Mandatory treatment order report called for ex-Prive Group CEO who punched 13-year-old boy

SINGAPORE: A district judge on Wednesday (Mar 2) ordered a mandatory treatment order (MTO) suitability report for the former CEO of food and beverage group The Prive Group.

French national Jean-Luc Kha Vu Han, 44, admits to punching a 13-year-old boy and asking him lewd questions in a lift in 2019. He was intoxicated at the time.

He has pleaded guilty to a charge each of voluntarily causing hurt and intentionally causing alarm.

An MTO directs an offender suffering from certain treatable psychiatric conditions to undergo psychiatric treatment.

Defence lawyer Teh Ee-von had asked for the MTO suitability report, saying her client was diagnosed with adjustment disorder and later bipolar disorder, for which he was seeking treatment.

She previously told the court that Vu Han had thought the victim said "something irksome to him", which "unfortunately triggered something in him" to react "in a disproportionate manner".

At the previous hearing, sentencing was adjourned for a further clarification report by the defence psychiatrist.

On Wednesday, Ms Teh told the court the psychiatrist's opinion remained that there was a contributory link between Vu Han's bipolar disorder and the offences committed.

The psychiatrist was also of the view that Vu Han's perception of the victim making a remark when no one else did could have been "psychosis", Ms Teh told the court.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Goh Yong Ngee objected to the calling of the MTO suitability report, saying that deterrence outweighed the rehabilitative considerations in this case.

He also said Vu Han seemed to have been "careless with the truth" with the defence psychiatrist.

Referring to the psychiatrist's report, Mr Goh said the accused had maintained he was not drunk at the time of the offences, which was "inconsistent" with what he pleaded guilty to.

Mr Goh added that facts had been "drip fed" to the psychiatrist in a "piecemeal fashion". He said this suggested that Vu Han had been trying to shape the psychiatrist's observations in his favour.

In response, Ms Teh said her client had been consistent in his account of what happened since his first meeting with the psychiatrist.

The judge called for the MTO suitability report to determine whether Vu Han did indeed suffer from bipolar disorder and whether that contributed to the offences, and whether he was susceptible to treatment.

Vu Han will attend his assessment at the Institute of Mental Health and return to court later this month.

THE INCIDENT

On Nov 22, 2019, Vu Han and his friend entered a lift on the fifth floor of Parklane Shopping Mall. He was intoxicated from drinking earlier.

The victim was with his 12-year-old brother in the lift. They were on their way to dinner after spending time in their father's office.

Vu Han asked the victim a question about his private parts, and the boy replied in the negative. Vu Han asked if the victim wanted to see his private parts, and the victim replied no once more.

Vu Han then said that he could arrange a sex act for him. The boy was alarmed by the insults and said, "No".

Suddenly, Vu Han punched the boy on his temple, causing him to fall backwards and slam his arm on the lift's handrails. He then cursed at the victim, who grabbed Vu Han's hands to prevent him from striking again.

Vu Han said, "You want to challenge me?" before asking the boy why he wanted to do so and referencing his private parts again.

On the first floor, Vu Han's friend pushed him out of the lift, but Vu Han refused to leave, blocking the lift doors with his foot and slapping the victim's cheek.

A man at a nearby cafe saw what happened and went to help the victim, detaining Vu Han and calling the police.

The victim sustained a 2cm by 2cm bruise over his temple and a 3cm by 3cm erythema or rash over his arm, and became fearful of taking lifts.

He suffered flashbacks of the incident and could not sleep well, according to a November 2020 victim impact statement.