Man gets 16 weeks' jail for molesting teen on MRT train, stealing wallet

A Peruvian man has been sentenced to 16 weeks jail for molesting a teenager on an MRT train as well as stealing a wallet, according to court records.

The man had asked the 13-year-old victim for directions to the Downtown Line at Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station at around 5.30pm on May 18. 

The man cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the victim's identity, according to court records.

The girl told him to take a train to Little India and transfer from there, according to the case.

When his train arrived, however, the 60-year-old suddenly grabbed the teen's hand and pulled her into the carriage, asking her to sit next to him. She was so frightened that she did not know what to do, reported Shin Min Daily News.

The man then put his left hand on her thigh and continued talking to her.

Upon arriving at Little India MRT station, the man took the girl's hand and asked her to go to a restaurant with him, but she refused. He then let go and walked out by himself, reported the Chinese evening daily.

When the teen finally made it to Sengkang MRT station, which was her intended destination, she told her sister about the incident. The latter relayed the information to their father, who called the police, according to Shin Min.

Came to Singapore with intentions to steal

The man, who works as a chef in Penang, flew to Singapore from Kuala Lumpur on May 11 with plans to stay for two weeks and commit theft, according to the case.

He had been told by a friend that it was easy to steal things in Singapore, reported Shin Min.

The man reportedly stole a black Louis Vuitton wallet from a woman's bag at Lau Pa Sat on May 17 while she was not paying attention.

The wallet, valued at $1,000, contained about $1,010 worth of Hong Kong dollars, Australian dollars, Japanese yen and Singapore dollars, as well as an Australian SIM card and four credit cards.

The man was also accused of stealing another diner's bag in a restaurant the previous night. He found nothing valuable except a mobile phone, which he pocketed before discarding the bag.

The man appeared in court on Monday (July 21), facing five charges, including molestation and theft, three of which he pleaded guilty to.

The man also reportedly requested for leniency, admitting to his mistakes. He is yet to make any compensation for the stolen items.

bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com

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