Man who molested female friend said he did it because he was 'tempted'

Adeline Tan
The New Paper
December 18, 2020

A 30-year-old man pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of molest.

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

On November 15 last year, the victim, 25, and the man were having drinks with a group of friends at a bar.

At about 1am, the man, the victim and two other friends decided to leave the bar. Since all the shops in the vicinity were closed, the victim suggested they go to her home to hang out.

All four of them continued drinking in the living room of her home. Both the man and the victim continued chatting after one of their friends left at 3am, while the other fell asleep on the sofa.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Daniel Ling said: "The accused and the victim talked about 'spooning', which is a sexual topic. After some time, both the victim and the accused fell asleep on the living room floor."

The victim woke up to the man hugging her from behind.

She later went to her bedroom and fell asleep on her bed, leaving her bedroom door open.

When the man woke up to use the toilet, he saw the victim sleeping on the bed and asked her if he could lay down on the bed as well.

She did not respond, but the man lay down next to the victim, who was lying down on her right shoulder and facing away from the man.

She woke up shocked to find the man lying next to her, and did not move.

The man then groped the victim, and continued doing so for about one to two minutes, during which the victim did not move away or make any sound.

The court heard that the man did so as he was "tempted".

After he removed his hand, the victim, scared and frightened, took the chance to roll away from him.

DPP Ling said: "Soon after, the accused's alarm went off, indicating it was about 6.30am. The accused got up from the victim's bed and left the (unit)."

The victim confided in two friends about what had happened, and made a police report a week after the incident.

The man is expected back in court for sentencing on Dec 23.