Man who broke into law firm with M Ravi sentenced to 4 weeks’ jail

SINGAPORE — A man has been sentenced to four weeks’ jail for breaking into a law firm’s office with non-practising lawyer M Ravi.

Lai Yew Thiam, 56, will start serving his sentence on Jan 15 next year as he has to settle some personal issues, the court heard on Thursday (Dec 7).

The Singaporean had admitted to two counts of breaking into law firm Eugene Thuraisingam LLP’s office with Ravi in June this year. An additional count of housebreaking was taken into consideration in his sentencing.

The court heard that Lai and Ravi had broken into the office, located in the People’s Park Centre, at least three times that month.

This happened after the law firm terminated Ravi’s employment on or about June 8, and told him to vacate the premises by June 16, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Sarah Ong told the court.

After the first break-in on June 17, the firm changed the lock on the metal shutter door.

On June 23, around noon, the duo broke into the office again.

Lai bypassed the new lock by using a screwdriver to remove the sides of the metal shutter door. Ravi shot a video and streamed the break-in “live” on Facebook.

The duo left after staff members found out and called the police.

Four days later, the two men were back at it again — breaking into the office by removing eight metal screws fastened to the metal shutter gate.

DPP Ong urged the court to impose a four-week jail sentence per charge, noting that Ravi was the main perpertrator of the offences. For housebreaking, Lai could have been fined and jailed up to two years.

The court heard that Lai had previous brushes with the law, including going behind bars for theft, drug and traffic-related offences.

In his mitigation plea, defence lawyer Satwant Singh said his client was “genuinely remorseful” for his actions.

The housebreaking offences were not done with the intention to steal, but was a result of a “commercial dispute” Ravi had with the law firm, Mr Satwant said.

He added that Lai was “acting on the instructions of Ravi”. He had helped Ravi because “he felt pity for (Ravi) … (knowing that) Ravi was going through a difficult period”.

The court was told that Lai and Ravi had been friends for 15 years.

Ravi was convicted of housebreaking last month. He also faces charges relating to committing a rash act and voluntarily causing hurt to two other lawyers.

He will return to court on Jan 5 next year.