A 30-year-old man in Singapore has been sentenced to seven years, 11 months, and 191 days in prison, along with nine strokes of the cane, for a series of violent offenses against his girlfriend. The sentencing took place on June 6, 2025, after the man pleaded guilty to ten charges, including voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon, wrongful confinement, and drug offenses.
Details of the Assault
According to Straits Times, The horrific abuse occurred in January 2023 at the man’s home in Tampines, where both he and his girlfriend resided. The violence was triggered when the woman expressed her desire to meet her godfather, which led the man to suspect infidelity. In a fit of rage, he dragged her into the bedroom by her shirt collar, struck her with a mop handle, and forced her to strip naked. He then tied her hands and feet using her bra and shorts, respectively.
The man escalated the violence by using a 30cm-long saw to slash her thigh and hitting her head with a wooden hammer while she lay restrained on the bed. He filmed her while she was naked and only released her when her hands had turned purple from the tight bindings. The torment continued as he demanded she beg him to stop, after which he threw scissors at her for her to cut the shorts binding her ankles.
Previous Incidents of Violence
This was not the first instance of violence from the man. In September 2022, he had tied her hands to the bed with a cable tie after she received a call from an unknown number, believing it to be from a male intern at her workplace. He then poured lighter fluid on her body and held an open flame close to her chest, causing burns. To appease him, the girlfriend lied about the call, which led to her being untied and cared for afterward.
In a separate incident while incarcerated, the man assaulted a 62-year-old fellow inmate who had asked him for food, resulting in the older man being hospitalized and requiring resuscitation.
Legal Consequences and Sentencing
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jonathan Tan emphasized the severity of the man’s actions, particularly given the context of domestic violence. He noted that while the victim claimed to have forgiven the accused, it did not diminish the gravity of his offenses. The court took into account the man’s history of violence and the psychological impact on the victim.
In mitigation, the defense lawyer argued that the man suffered from major depressive disorder, which contributed to his possessive and jealous behavior. However, the court found that his actions were not premeditated, and the seriousness of the offenses warranted a significant sentence.
Under Singapore law, those convicted of voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon can face up to seven years in prison, fines, and caning. Wrongful confinement can result in a maximum of three years’ imprisonment, fines, or both.
This case highlights the ongoing issue of domestic violence and the need for stringent measures to protect victims and hold offenders accountable.