41-year-old technician touches buttock of beer promoter at kopitiam -- then kicks her when she confronts him

Shaffiq Idris Alkhatib
The Straits Times
24 February 2017

A 41-year-old Myanmar national was jailed for two weeks on Friday (Feb 24) for molesting a beer promoter on Nov 12, last year.

Marine technician Zaw Ye Nyunt also kicked the 26-year-old Malaysian woman when she confronted him.

This assault charge was taken into consideration during sentencing.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Muhammad Taufiq Suraidi said Zaw Ye Nyunt was drinking beer at a hawker centre at a block of flats at the western part of Singapore at around 9.45pm that day when the woman approached him.

She asked him if he wanted more beer but he ignored her question.

As she was walking away to entertain the other patrons, Zaw Ye Nyunt reached out with his right hand and touched her left buttock.

DPP Muhammad Taufiq said: "Shocked by what the accused had done, the victim turned to face the accused and asked him why he had touched her buttock.

"As he did not reply her, she kicked the accused's right thigh in a bid to get a response from him."

Zaw Ye Nyunt then got up and kicked her left thigh.

The impact pushed her backwards but she did not fall as she managed to hold on to a table behind her to regain her balance.

She then called the police at around 10.30pm.

DPP Muhammad Taufiq urged District Judge Lorraine Ho to jail Zaw Ye Nyunt for a month - stressing that he was intoxicated when he committed the offences.

But defence lawyer, Mr Jacob Lim asked the judge to let his client off with a fine as the touch was fleeting.

Before handing out the sentence, Judge Ho said that Zaw Ye Nyunt was not apologetic after molesting the woman.

Instead, he kicked her when confronted.

For outraging the beer promoter's modesty, he could have been jailed up to two years, fined, caned or receive a combined punishment.