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A 25-year-old undergraduate in Singapore has pleaded guilty to charges of criminal trespass and attempted voyeurism after trying to enter a female hostel toilet to film students showering
The suspect, identified in court as How Zhong Ting, was a third-year mechanical and aerospace engineering student who devised the illicit plan after discovering online classified listings that offered cash for voyeuristic content, as reported by Lianhe Zaobao.
According to court documents, How was facing severe financial difficulties and could not afford his hostel accommodation fees.
In an effort to increase his income, he decided to target the female-only residential quarters adjacent to his residential block.
On 2 May, shortly before midnight, he left his room with a mobile phone and headed towards the restricted floor. He managed to bypass the electronic card-access restrictions by exploiting a faulty security gate on the fifth floor of the building.
Once inside, How approached the communal bathroom area and attempted to open the door
However, his initial attempt failed because the toilet doors required a specific key fob for entry.
Undeterred, he returned a minute later and attempted to gain access using his own residential card, but the electronic lock rejected his credentials.
Although he abandoned the attempt and fled, his suspicious movements were captured on CCTV cameras.
A campus security officer subsequently reviewed the footage following a resident's complaint and flagged How as a prime suspect.
In another attempt, four days later on 6 May, the suspect returned to the same location.
At around 9pm, campus security spotted him loitering outside the women's toilet area twice within a short period.
Security personnel immediately alerted the hostel manager, who intercepted How at the scene before he could escape
When confronted, the student confessed his voyeuristic intentions, leading to his arrest by the Singapore Police Force shortly after midnight on 7 May.
During the court proceedings on 29 May, the prosecution revealed that a psychiatric evaluation diagnosed How with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and voyeuristic disorder
Because these conditions were found to have directly contributed to his offences, the prosecution did not object to a defence request for a mandatory treatment order (MTO) suitability report.
This alternative sentencing framework allows offenders with treatable psychological conditions to undergo medical rehabilitation instead of serving jail time.
District Judge Terence Tay adjourned the case and scheduled the final sentencing for 15 July.
Under Singaporean law, a conviction for criminal trespass carries a maximum penalty of three months in jail or a fine of up to SGD1,500 (RM5,250), whilst attempted voyeurism can result in a jail term of up to two years.
If you or someone you know may be at risk or has experienced sexual abuse or assault, please reach out to these Malaysian organisations:
1. WOMEN'S AID ORGANISATION (WAO)
Operating hours: 24-hour
Contact: +603-30008858
SMS/WhatsApp: +6018-9888058
Website | Facebook | Twitter
2. ALL WOMEN'S ACTION SOCIETY (AWAM)
Operating hours: Weekdays (9.30am – 4.30pm)
Contact: +603-78770224
WhatsApp: +6016-2284221 | +6016-2374221
Email: [email protected]
Website | Facebook | Twitter
3. WOMEN'S CENTRE FOR CHANGE PENANG (WCC PENANG)
Operating hours: Weekdays (9am – 5pm)
Contact: +604-2280342 | +604-3988340
WhatsApp: +6011-31084001 | +6016-4390698
Email: [email protected]
Website | Facebook | Twitter
4. SARAWAK WOMEN FOR WOMEN SOCIETY (SWWS)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (9am to 5.30pm)
Contact: +6082-422660
SMS/WhatsApp: +6013-8044285
Email: [email protected]
Website | Facebook | Twitter
5. SABAH WOMEN'S ACTION-RESOURCE GROUP (SAWO)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (9am to 2pm)
Contact: +6088-280200
Email: [email protected]
Website | Facebook | Twitter
6. PROTECT AND SAVE THE CHILDREN (PS THE CHILDREN)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (8.30am to 5.30pm)
Contact: +6016-2273065 | +6016-7213065
WhatsApp: +6016-7213065
Email: [email protected]
Website | Facebook | Twitter
7. INTERNET WATCH FOUNDATION (IWF)
Anonymously and confidentially report child sexual abuse content and non-photographic child sexual abuse images with IWF's Reporting Portal.
8. HEAL
Contact: 15555
