Indian-Origin Man Pleads Guilty To Sexually Assaulting Maintenance Worker In Singapore

A 20-year-old Indian-origin man pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting an Indian maintenance worker in Singapore. According to a PTI report, Sree Kanth Murugan, who works in the hospitality industry, last year sexually assaulted the worker when he was asleep before running away after the victim woke up.

The report stated that another charge of molestation would be taken into consideration for sentencing Sree.

The 34-year-old worker, whose identity has been protected, was sleeping at the void deck of a housing block where Sree lived, PTI reported citing a report by Today newspaper.

Court Held On Probation & Rehabilitative Programme

District Judge Carol Ling called for probation and reformative training suitability reports before her judgement on May 9. Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Ho May Kim called for a report to assess Sree’s suitability for reformative training and further told the court that probation would not be a “realistic” sentencing option considering his “brazen sexual offence”.

DPP Ho further argued that probation would have a “limited” impact in deterring Sree from repeating such offences and suggested that rehabilitation would be more effective in a structured environment such as reformative training.

Offenders under 21 are offered reformative training which is a regimented rehabilitative programme during which offenders need to stay at a training centre to undergo various programmes. Unlike probation and community sentences, those who are sent for reformative training will have a criminal record.

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Meanwhile, Sree’s defence lawyer Asoka Markandu stated that he was “completely flabbergasted” at the prosecution’s objection to probation and instead asked for a probation suitability report.

He argued that sending Sree for reformative training would be like placing him in a “den full of wolves”. Asoka added that a probation officer would provide him with sufficient guidance.

Asoka further added that sexuality issues is a big concern for young people today, particularly as the digital age has made youth more aware of such topics at a younger age. He described his client as “someone screaming for help,” which ultimately led him to “satisfy his urge” in such a public manner.

Responding to this, DPP Ho said that Sree was already at the “cusp of adulthood” when he committed the offence and reformative training was an option that already considered rehabilitation.

DPP Ho emphasised that Sree had “preyed” on the victim when he was sleeping and in a vulnerable state, and ran away once he was detected.

District Judge Ling agreed with both the prosecution and the defence that rehabilitation would be the predominant consideration for sentencing and called for both suitability reports.

Night Of The Crime

On October 27, 2023, at around 10:30 PM the victim chatted and drank three cans of beer with his relative at the void deck of a public housing block. While waiting for his relative to get ready to give him a ride back to his dormitory, the victim fell asleep on a concrete slab.

About 30 minutes later, Sree sat at a table near the victim, he then proceeded to molest the man before sexually assaulting him. The victim woke up to find his private parts exposed and Sree sitting at his feet.

Sree ran off and though the victim chased him, he managed to escape to his home, which was nearby. But Sree was later arrested. In Singapore, anyone who commits sexual assault involving penetration can be jailed for up to 20 years, and can also be caned or fined.