A man with special needs, Looi Kai Ye, wasenced to eight months one week in jail and fined S$1,000 for causing grievous hurt with a rash act, voluntarily causing hurt, molestation, and committing an obscene act. Looi, who has autism and bipolar disorder, had previously bumped into a 76-year-old man, him to hit his head on a metal railing and later die in the hospital. The incident, which was caught on camera, occurred when Looi was running to board a bus and did not stop to assist the man after colliding with him.
In addition to this incident, Looi had also pushed a woman in her 60s in a bank branch in Tampines, causing her to fall and suffer injuries. He had also molested a woman outside Pasir Ris MRT Station and committed an obscene act by urinating into someone’s apartment, Today reported.
Looi Kai Ye, who has been diagnosed with autism and bipolar disorder, approached a woman in her 20s who was waiting in line at a food stall outside Pasir Ris MRT Station. Without warning, Looi thrust his groin against the woman’s back and attempted to do so again when she turned around in shock. Upon realizing that the victim had seen him, Looi fled the scene and boarded a bus. The incident was caught on surveillance cameras, and Looi was later identified and arrested. The victim suffered no physical injuries but was understandably shaken by the incident.
Two psychological tests conducted on Looi indicated that his IQ was in the borderline range of intellectual functioning. An assessment by Dr Sajith Sreedharan Geetha, a senior consultant psychiatrist at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), stated that Looi’s mental conditions had “significant contributory links” to his molestation charge. Dr Sajith also said that Looi’s behavior could be related to his “longstanding intense interest in women wearing leather clothing” and a tendency to behave in a “socially inappropriate and impulsive manner”.
Looi’s bipolar disorder was found to have been “adequately treated” with psychiatric medication, and he was not having a relapse at the time of his collision with the deceased. However, the court found that his mental conditions did not affect his criminal responsibility for the offences he committed.
The maximum penalty for causing grievous hurt by a rash act is four years in jail or a fine of up to S$10,000, or both. For voluntarily causing hurt that causes grievous hurt, the maximum penalty is five years in jail or a fine of up to S$10,000, or both. The penalty for using criminal force to outrage the modesty of a person is a jail term of up to three years or a fine or caning, or any combination of these. For committing an obscene act, the maximum penalty is a jail term of up to three months or a fine, or both.
This case highlights the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of senior citizens and other vulnerable individuals in our community. It also underscores the need for individuals with special needs to receive appropriate support and treatment to manage their conditions and prevent them from committing criminal offences.