Jail for man for roadside attack on victim who was stripped
A man who attacked a male victim suspected of having an extramarital affair with the assailant’s niece was sentenced to four years and four months’ jail on Oct 28.
The 55-year-old assailant, identified in court documents as A1, also attacked his own niece during the 2020 roadside incident.
A1, the last person involved in the attack to be dealt with in court, was also fined $2,000.
A1’s son, the son’s girlfriend and the niece’s estranged husband – who also took part in the attack – were dealt with in court earlier.
All parties involved in this case cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the victims’ identities.
After a trial, District Judge Kok Shu-En convicted A1 on one count each of criminal intimidation and instigating the distribution of intimate images.
A1 had also pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and one count of displaying disorderly behaviour.
The niece, identified as V1, and her estranged husband, 42, were undergoing divorce proceedings at the time of the attack.
Shortly before the incident took place, all four offenders suspected that V1, then 37, was having an affair with the male victim, identified as PW4, who was also 37 then.
At around 10pm on Feb 7, 2020, they gathered near the woman’s home and saw her entering PW4’s car. They decided to follow the car in different vehicles.
Court documents did not state if V1 was indeed having an affair with PW4.
PW4 was heading towards the Woodlands Checkpoint when his car got trapped between the husband’s car behind and A1’s 24-year-old son’s car in front.
A1’s son and the husband then alighted to confront PW4. A1’s son also told his girlfriend, 23, to record the incident with her mobile phone and she complied.
When PW4 stepped out of his car as ordered by the husband, the husband and A1’s son rained blows on PW4 while shouting vulgarities at him.
A1 arrived at the scene soon after and joined in the attack. He also slapped and kicked his niece.
The assailants then decided to humiliate PW4. While A1’s son restrained him, the other two attackers pulled down the man’s trousers and underwear.
In earlier proceedings, Deputy Public Prosecutor Jeremy Bin said that A1 directed the husband to record and send an explicit video of PW4 to others.
The husband sent the clip to more than 500 of PW4’s contacts over messaging platform WhatsApp, including the victim’s colleagues, friends and neighbours.
V1 called the police, who arrived soon after to arrest the attackers.
The court heard on Oct 28 that A1 will be appealing against his conviction and sentence. His bail has been set at $30,000.
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