Architect jailed for uploading intimate pictures of 2 women online

SINGAPORE - An architect was sentenced to 10 months’ jail on Wednesday (April 5) for uploading on an online sex forum intimate pictures he took of two women.

The women had separately agreed to pose for Heng Boon Keng, but on the condition that he kept the images he took private.

But the 54-year-old repeatedly posted the pictures on the Sammyboy Forum, an online platform where users mainly discuss topics of a sexual nature.

Heng did this to receive praise and other responses from users on the forum.

His offences came to light only when the victims’ friends identified the women from his posts and alerted them. The women then made police reports.

Heng, who used to be a senior principal architect with an infrastructure consultancy, had pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing intimate images.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Yohanes Ng said Heng was active on the Sammyboy forum after creating his account in January 2005.

As at September 2021, he had a total of 1,146 posts on the forum. Among other things, he wrote in a thread titled “rare pictures of Singapore models”, which showed clothed and nude images of women.

Between Aug 18 and Sept 25 in 2021, he posted 33 images. They included two of his first victim and 10 of the other woman. It was not mentioned in court documents if the women knew each other.

He took pictures of the first victim in 2012 when she was 25 years old.

The DPP said: “(She) had participated in the photoshoot voluntarily, with remuneration, and allowed the accused to keep the photos from the photoshoot.

“However, she did so on the strict condition that the accused did not share the photos with anyone else, which the accused promised not to do.”

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But in September 2021, Heng posted two of the woman’s topless pictures, which partially showed her face. Forum users commented on the pictures, with some making lewd comments about the woman.

As for the other woman, the court heard Heng had conducted multiple photoshoots with her from 2013 to 2015 when she was between 18 and 20 years old.

She took part in seven shoots in a hotel and was paid up to $300 for two hours of photography at each session.

DPP Ng told the court: “These photoshoots were conducted on the condition that the accused use the photos purely for his personal consumption, and that he would not circulate the photos to anyone.

“In fact, (she) repeatedly reminded the accused not to circulate her photos during the photography sessions.”

On Aug 17, 2021, Heng went onto the forum and mentioned the second victim’s name.

He also posted 10 of her pictures, which included close-ups of her private parts.

Defence lawyers Gloria James and Chong Xin Yi said Heng had engaged the women as models, after developing an interest in figure painting.

The lawyers from Gloria James-Civetta law firm, who pleaded for him to be given four months’ jail and a fine of $1,500, said Heng has been attending sex and love addiction anonymous sessions twice weekly, and taken part in online webinars on sex and relationship healing.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.