After becoming drunk, a 22-year-old foreign exchange student at the National University of Singapore (NUS) molested a waitress on a night out at Marquee.
He was fined S$4,000 for one charge of outraging the victim’s modesty.
If he is unable to pay the fine, he will have to serve another four days in jail, having already spent four days in custody for not managing to raise bail.
Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reports that Pakistani student Butt Muhammad Abdullah, a student pass holder and a permanent resident in Denmark, came to Singapore on a five-month student exchange programme with NUS.
On 2 Sep, the 22-year-old visited Marquee Singapore at Marina Bay Sands to drink with his friends.
Source: Marquee Singapore on Facebook
At about 2.50am, Butt wanted to leave the club and return to his hostel with a friend.
A 30-year-old waitress walked past him to clear his table, at which point Butt reached out his hand and touched her behind once.
Turning around, the victim immediately confronted him, bringing him to security.
They called the police, who, upon arriving, placed Butt under arrest. His actions were also evident in footage from CCTV cameras.
Seeking a S$4,000 to S$5,000 fine, the prosecution said Butt had no prior convictions and had already pleaded guilty.
In addition, CCTV footage showed that the touch was “fleeting” and “over clothing.” It also “did not intrude on private parts,” the prosecutor added.
Defence lawyer Cathy Pereira revealed that her client was on an exchange programme with NUS Business School. He had only been in Singapore for a month at the time of the incident.
“It was his first time drinking a large amount of alcohol.
“He had only drunk once before. This time, he had seven drinks and didn’t realise the effect it had on him. He’s extremely remorseful,” she said.
In his intoxicated state, Ms Pereira said Butt acted impulsively, adding that he intends never to drink again.
With four nights spent so far in custody, she asked for a S$1,500 fine with four days’ jail if he’s unable to pay it.
The judge said that in sentencing her client, he had already considered the time spent in remand and adjusted the imprisonment term accordingly.
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Featured image adapted from Marquee Singapore on Facebook.
She remained defiant when the police asked her to stop drinking.
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