A deliveryman trespassed into Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) female student dormitory rooms on two separate occasions in late 2022.
This was in spite of being freshly released from jail and receiving caning for molestation and trespassing for similar offences at NTU in 2018.
On both occasions, the offender tried to hide his identity, and made sure not to leave his DNA behind.
For his criminal trespassing offences, the court handed him a 14-month jail term and a S$2,800 fine.
The 37-year-old additionally received a two-year driving ban for speeding and driving while drunk on a separate occasion.
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), deliveryman Muhammad Shahrin Mohd Shah attempted to enter at least 11 student dormitory rooms and successfully entered some of them on two separate occasions.
At around 3.40am on 9 Sep 2022, Shahrin parked his company vehicle at a carpark near NTU.
After consuming two cans of beer, he made his way to a nearby hall. He was apparently in a “dizzy and high” state at the time.
He later loitered along the common corridors of the hall and attempted to open the doors of every room. Shahrin was apparently familiar with the layout of the dorms from his previous offences and knew that the dormitories belonged to female students.
Prosecutors claimed Shahrin did so to “look at girls”.
He had allegedly taken care to conceal his appearance with a hooded jacket, long pants and a face mask.
In addition, learning from his previous offences where he was identified from his DNA, Shahrin used a cloth to prevent leaving traces on door handles he touched.
Source: Finn Mund on Unsplash, for illustration purposes only
The deliveryman eventually managed to enter one of the rooms, which was unlocked. He left immediately after trespassing.
Thankfully, the victim’s boyfriend who had been sleeping with her woke up after hearing the door closing.
The couple saw Shahrin walking along the hallway when they left the room to check if someone had entered.
The victim’s boyfriend later lodged a police report on the incident.
Shahrin subsequently re-offended just three months later, on 1 Dec 2022.
He reportedly drove his company vehicle to the school again at about 3.45am, and parked near one of the residential halls.
This time, he had two cups of vodka before going to the hall. He was shirtless when he visited the dorm rooms.
To avoid being identified via CCTV cameras, Shahrin carried an umbrella. He also wore long pants and a cap.
Shahrin apparently entered multiple unlocked rooms this time, noted CNA.
At about 5.35am, he attempted to enter a student’s room but failed as it was locked.
Source: Agung Toto Wibowo
The student woke up from the sound of him trying to open the door, and saw him at the end of the hallway.
Although she shouted at him and tried to chase him, Shahrin managed to slip away.
The student reported the incident to a security officer, who lodged a police report.
An investigative officer asked Shahrin to report to a police station a few days later.
Following this, he allegedly threw his cap, umbrella and long pants away in Boon Lay, intending to deny the offences.
Shahrin’s crimes come after he served two years and eight months in jail and received three strokes of the cane for aggravated molestation and trespassing in 2018.
In this previous incident, he also trespassed into a hostel at NTU and performed an obscene act in front of a student, reported The Straits Times (ST).
Along with the charges for that incident, the court also charged Sharin for aggravated molestation. He apparently forced himself into a car and pinned a woman down in 2011, and kissed her on the lips.
The prosecutor thus noted that Shahrin’s offences were similar to his previous ones.
Pointing out his meticulous effort to cover himself up and not leave his DNA, the prosecutor added that his offences were “clearly premeditated”.
Shahrin told the court that his intentions at the school were only to have a drink. He added, “When I was drinking, I remembered about my past…so it triggered me and I was angry at myself.”
The judge said that Shahrin preyed on “vulnerable victims” in the dormitories who were likely to be sleeping and alone.
In addition, she determined that he had not learnt his lesson despite his previous punishment.
In court, Shahrin was also charged for an unrelated crime of speeding and drink-driving a van in Oct 2022.
For his crimes, the judge sentenced Shahrin to 14 months in jail, a fine of S$2,800 and a driving ban of two years for the trespass offences as well as traffic offences.
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