SINGAPORE — A 28-year-old woman is facing court proceedings after allegedly threatening to distribute her boyfriend’s intimate images and later escalating the dispute with a weapon during an argument over money and relationship suspicions.
Court documents revealed that the woman had pleaded guilty to three charges, with additional charges to be taken into consideration during sentencing. A gag order has been imposed to protect the identity of the 25-year-old victim, who was her boyfriend at the time.
Relationship dispute escalates into threats and confrontation
According to court reports, the couple began their relationship in 2023. During the course of their relationship, the boyfriend reportedly shared multiple private and explicit images and videos with her.
Tensions began to rise in mid-2024 when the woman allegedly discovered messages between her boyfriend and other women, leading her to suspect infidelity. When confronted, he denied any wrongdoing. However, the situation escalated when she allegedly threatened to upload his intimate materials online.
Despite feeling threatened, the boyfriend reportedly did not immediately contact the authorities.
Penknife incident during argument over finances
The dispute intensified further in January 2025 during a face-to-face confrontation. The argument reportedly centred on financial matters, with disagreements over money becoming a recurring issue in the relationship.
During the confrontation, the woman allegedly brandished a penknife and pointed it towards her boyfriend while reiterating threats to release his private images. The situation was eventually de-escalated, and the weapon was taken away without any physical injuries being reported.
Following the incident, the woman later confided in a social worker, who subsequently alerted the authorities, leading to police involvement.
Additional offence involving misappropriated funds
In a separate matter, the accused was also linked to a case involving S$1,000 that was mistakenly transferred to her bank account via PayNow. Instead of returning the money, she allegedly retained and spent the funds.
The original sender had attempted to recover the money through her bank but was unsuccessful, prompting a police report. Investigations later traced the transaction to the accused, who acknowledged receiving the funds but did not provide restitution.
Court considers psychiatric assessment and sentencing options
During court proceedings, it was noted that a psychiatric report indicated the accused was suffering from major depressive disorder and had mild intellectual disability. The report suggested that her condition may have been linked to the offences committed.
As a result, the court has requested further assessment to determine whether she is suitable for a Mandatory Treatment Order (MTO), which would require psychiatric treatment instead of or alongside custodial sentencing.
The case has been adjourned to May 21 for sentencing.