An elderly Singaporean landlord was sentenced to 10 months in jail on Tuesday (16 June) after he installed eight pinhole cameras to film his female tenant.
68-year-old Daniel Poon Lee was apprehended after the tenant discovered one of the cameras inside her room in April 2021.
Source: The Straits Times
Authorities found at least 49 images of the woman in various states of undress on Poon’s desktop computer.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of voyeurism, with one additional charge taken into consideration for sentencing.
The victim is a 29-year-old woman who cannot be named due to a gag order set up by the court to protect her identity.
She moved into the flat in January 2019, taking the common room while Poon and his wife used the master bedroom.
According to The Straits Times, Poon would unlock the tenant’s room with his master key and enter at least once a month when she was not around.
He did this under the pretence of helping with chores such as changing the light bulb or mopping the floor.
While the woman initially felt uncomfortable with his actions, she eventually considered them as acts of kindness, thinking he might be bored with being at home.
Between April 2020 and January 2021, Poon purchased eight pinhole cameras online and installed them throughout the flat.
He placed two cameras inside the woman’s room, one inside a USB socket and another in an air-conditioning duct.
He also installed cameras outside her room: one inside the water heater of the shower, three in the living room, one in the kitchen, and one in his bedroom.
Source: Channel 8 News via Sin Chew Daily
All eight pinhole cameras were linked to his phone, allowing him to view live footage through a mobile application. The cameras constantly recorded until the storage was full.
According to Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Jun Chong, Poon recorded multiple videos of the woman using the toilet or changing in her room between December 2020 and April 2021.
At least 49 images of her in various states of undress were saved on his desktop computer.
On 21 April 2021, when Poon was not at home, the woman noticed a small hole in the wall under the air conditioning duct.
She initially thought that it was made by insects, but after pointing a flashlight at it, she found glass there with a red light in it.
Suspecting it was a camera, she recorded a video of the hole and sent it to her boyfriend, cousin, supervisor, and colleagues.
Source: Channel 8 News via Sin Chew Daily
An hour later, her boyfriend arrived at the flat and confirmed it was a camera. The police were called.
The woman’s cousin also arrived and checked the toilet for cameras but could not find any before the police came.
According to DDP Ng, Poon’s degree of planning and premeditation was extremely high as he hid the cameras so well that even someone with the intention to find them would be unable to do so.
Poon returned home shortly after the police arrived, reported Sin Chew Daily.
When questioned, he claimed that he installed the cameras to monitor what the tenant was doing inside her room. He then showed them where the other pinhole cameras were installed.
The victim was enraged after discovering that the landlord had seen her using the toilet, showering, and changing clothes.
She moved out of the unit that same day, despite Poon apologising to her.
Also read: S’pore landlord forfeits S$1.8K deposit & tells tenant to ‘get lost’ after lease ends
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Featured image adapted from The Straits Times, Channel 8 News via Sin Chew Daily
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