A man in Singapore, Lim Pang Boon Adrian Michael, 48, was caught hiding in a women’s toilet on June 9, 2021, intending to take voyeuristic photos of women visiting a dating agency. He was confronted by a woman and her friend, but fled the scene, using his car to push the friend out of the way and breaking through a car park gantry. Lim was later arrested and pleaded guilty to multiple charges, receiving a jail sentence of one month and three weeks in August.
Background
According to a judgment released on September 12, Lim, a private-hire vehicle (PHV) driver, entered the women’s toilet of an office building, knowing that women would be visiting a dating agency on that floor. He positioned himself in a central cubicle, waiting for someone to enter an adjacent one. At around 7:45 pm, a 32-year-old woman entered the cubicle next to his. Lim attempted to take photos of her by placing his phone over the partition, but the woman noticed and left the restroom immediately to seek help.
Confrontation
The victim returned with a 38-year-old woman, but they found no one in the women’s restroom. They then saw Lim exiting the men’s restroom and confronted him, demanding to see his phone’s photo gallery. Lim refused and fled down the stairs, with the women in pursuit. The victim alerted the building’s security officer while Lim escaped through the rear exit. In the basement car park, Lim entered his white Mercedes-Benz and attempted to drive away. The second woman stood in front of the car to prevent his escape, but Lim drove towards her, hitting her right leg and pushing her along the front of the vehicle before striking her left leg. Lim then crashed through the parking barrier and sped away. The woman later sought medical treatment for bruises and a sprained neck. Lim was eventually arrested.
Sentence just and appropriate: Judge
The defence sought a three-week jail term, arguing that Lim was a first-time offender suffering from voyeuristic disorder. Lim compensated the victim and the second woman with S$2,500 each and paid for the woman’s medical fees. He also gave S$1,000 each to the security guard and building management. However, the judge noted that an Institute of Mental Health (IMH) report showed no contributory link between Lim’s voyeuristic disorder and the offences. The report also stated that Lim’s ability to appreciate the nature of his offences was not impaired. The judge remarked that Lim had used his car as “a weapon to intimidate the woman into moving out of the way.” He concluded that the sentence was “just and appropriate to send a clear message to other like-minded persons that such conduct is completely unacceptable.” Lim has since appealed against the sentence.
Related incidents
This case is not an isolated incident involving private-hire drivers in Singapore. In a separate case, a private-hire driver took advantage of a drunk passenger by recording images of her body and later raping her. These incidents highlight the need for stricter regulations and monitoring of private-hire drivers to ensure passenger safety.
