SINGAPORE: Upset about the end of his relationship, a man threatened to end his life and forced his ex-girlfriend to stand in front of traffic in the middle of a busy road in Tampines.
Wang Shizhou, 44, pleaded guilty on Monday (Mar 3) to a charge of causing hurt through a rash act that endangered his ex-girlfriend’s safety.
The Chinese national, who was in Singapore on a work permit, was sentenced to 18 days in prison.
The court heard that at about 4pm on Feb 10, Wang started sending his ex-girlfriend text messages, saying that he was feeling suicidal about their relationship ending.
He also sent her a video of himself sitting on the window ledge of a block of flats.
The victim’s employer made a police report about this, and the police brought Wang to Changi General Hospital.
However, Wang left the hospital shortly after, without completing his treatment, and went to look for his ex-girlfriend.
At about 10.55pm, he reached a void deck in Tampines where his ex-girlfriend was meeting an acquaintance.
Wang started shouting at the woman and dragged her from the void deck of Blk 285, Tampines Street 22 to the adjacent Tampines Avenue 2.
As he did so, he said he wanted to end his life.
The ex-girlfriend’s acquaintance took a video of Wang hoisting her over a road divider, and then forcing her to cross the busy road.
He then dragged her back to the middle of the road, where they stood facing oncoming traffic while he restrained her arms behind her back.
When the victim momentarily broke free and kicked Wang away, he held her in a headlock. A bus drove by them while they struggled.
His actions caused his ex-girlfriend bodily pain, but in sentencing, the district judge noted that the woman did not suffer serious injuries.
The acquaintance called the police, who arrived and found the trio standing at the road divider of Tampines Avenue 2. Wang was arrested and sent to the Institute of Mental Health.
According to Wang, who spoke through an interpreter, his employer had received a notice that he was fit to return to work.
Wang said he was drinking alcohol on the day of the incident, and had never drunk so much before.
“I was drunk and my behaviour was unexpected. I know I caused a lot of harm to the victim, but I have no recollection of the incident,” he said in mitigation.
The divorcee also said he had aged parents at home to support.
“Before this incident happened, I had hoped that I have a stable job and a happy marriage. I believe this is what everyone hopes for.
“But I had relationship stress at that time. I do not know why I drank so much. I was in very low spirits on that day,” he said, apologising to the victim and to society.
The punishment for causing hurt by a rash act that endangers life or personal safety is up to a year in prison, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both.
