Serial flasher convicted for 16th time after admitting to exposing genitals outside schools

SINGAPORE — A serial flasher was on Wednesday (Dec 14) convicted a 16th time for the offence of exposing himself in public, with the prosecution spending several minutes reading out a long list of past offences dating back to 2007.

For his latest conviction, Budiman Shah Mohd Noorel Azman, 38, was caught flashing his genitals at four bus stops in Bukit Batok and along Alexandra Road, three of which were opposite or near a school.

In January this year, he stood on a grass patch with his pants pulled down near a bus stop where an eight-year-old girl was waiting for the bus with her father on her way to school.

In May, Budiman lowered his pants as he walked towards a 29-year-old woman sitting at a bus stop with school students around, holding on to his genitals as he smiled at the woman.

And in October, he pulled down his pants and held onto his genitals in front of a 16-year-old pupil who was waiting for the bus. 

Budiman pleaded guilty on Wednesday to two counts of sexual exposure and one of performing an obscene act in public. He agreed to have another count of sexual exposure be taken into consideration during sentencing.

Having been convicted almost every year since 2007 for similar offences, Budiman has been handed jail terms ranging from two weeks for his first offence to 19 months in 2019. On two occasions, he was given mandatory treatment orders — a community sentencing option offered to offenders suffering from mental conditions that contributed to the offence.

Before Wednesday, he was last convicted in June last year, for which he was jailed for 11 months for intentionally exposing his private parts.

At the hearing, District Judge Kow Keng Siong granted Deputy Public Prosecutor Bharat Punjabi's request for a report to be done up to assess whether Budiman was suitable for a mandatory treatment order.

Budiman, who did not have a lawyer, told that court that he was eager for treatment after having spoken with a court counsellor.

"I used to have this feeling of being alone in this world. I'm fighting this sickness, but then the court counsellor told me I'm not alone. I have people to help me," he said.

Budiman is set to return to court on Dec 27 for sentencing. He remains in remand.