news

saw this news last week. thought it was really weird.


June 12, 2008
Serial molester gets 14 years detention and 18 stroke
By Elena Chong
A MOLESTER who preyed on more than 20 young girls and women in the Marsiling and Woodlands areas was packed off to jail for 14 years and ordered to be given 18 strokes of the cane on Thursday.

Mohammed Ismail Ariffin, 36, unemployed, pleaded guilty last month to 10 charges of outrage of modesty, aggravated molestation and insulting modesty between September 2006 and February this year.

His victims were between nine and 53.

A Community Court heard that Ismail, who suffered from mild mental retardation, would either touch the victim's buttocks or smell their armpits to release himself.

The offences were committed at HDB lifts, staircase landings and even in the victims' homes.

He was arrested on Feb 12. Fourteen other charges were taken into consideration.

His lawyer, Mr Noor Mohamed Marican, assigned by the Association of Criminal Lawyers of Singapore, said his behaviour was not normal.

Ismail, he said, was suffering from the adverse influence of taking Romilar pills - used mostly to suppress coughs.

Pleading for leniency, he urged Community Court judge James Leong not to impose a long sentence on Ismail but to send him for medical treatment and rehabilitative programme.

Ismail has previous convictions since 1991 for drug- and sexual-related offences. In 1996, he was givne six years and six strokes for aggravated molestation.

Judge Leong sentenced him to 14 years' preventive detention and caning.

Copyright © 2007 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.