Reformative training for upskirt offender previously given a chance by judge
The full-time national serviceman followed a 25-year-old woman into a lift and attempted to take an upskirt video because “it boosted his mood and gave him pleasure”, the court heard.
SINGAPORE — He was sentenced to probation in June 2016 for taking upskirt videos of women.
Barely a year and a half later while still on probation, Daniel Chua Poh Boon reoffended.
The 20-year-old breached probation conditions by getting a camera-enabled phone and attempting to take an upskirt video of a 25-year-old woman he followed home.
On Thursday (Jan 3), Chua was sentenced to reformative training of at least six months and chided by District Judge Mathew Joseph.
“I gave you a chance, I placed you on probation and told you no more camera phones.
“You just did not want to learn from your first lesson, isn’t it?” the judge told Chua, currently a full-time National Serviceman.
Rejecting defence lawyer Dennis Chua’s call for another stint of probation, the judge said Chua’s “pattern of behaviour doesn’t justify (the) optimism that (he) has changed”.
In the latest offence, which took place on Dec 5, 2017, Chua noticed a 25-year-old woman heading home from Buangkok MRT station and decided to follow her.
They entered the same lift and Chua attempted to film an upskirt video of the woman.
Chua admitted that it boosted his mood and gave him pleasure, said Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Deborah Tang.
The woman, who cannot be named to protect her identity, noticed his hand beneath her dress through a mirror in the lift.
She also noticed that Chua’s Samsung phone was turned towards the underside of her dress and confronted him before making a police report.
An 18-second clip of his attempt was found on his phone.
It was not Chua’s first upskirt video.
Court documents revealed that on Aug 27, 2015, Chua — a student at the time — had instigated a schoolmate to take an upskirt video of their teacher.
Between April and August 2015, Chua had also taken multiple upskirt videos of other women.
He also admitted to stealing a remote-controlled car from Toys “R” Us, spray painting the wall of a flat, as well as causing mischief by setting the whiteboard and partition wall of an abandoned school on fire.
For these offences, he was sentenced in June 2016 to probation by DJ Joseph.
Breaching a condition of his probation, Chua procured a camera phone. It was seized but he went on to get another camera phone.
The prosecution said on Thursday that reformative training was warranted, given his conduct “showed an utter lack of genuine remorse”.
Chua’s mother was “fully aware” of her son’s offending conduct but did not stop him, it added.
Defence lawyer Mr Chua said his client’s mother regretted her lack of supervision and would keep a close eye on her son if he was sentenced to probation.
The lawyer added that Chua now has a phone without a camera. But DJ Joseph said it was “too little, too late”.
Chua will start serving his sentence on Jan 11.
