SINGAPORE — A man who posed as a police officer and robbed a masseuse with the aid of his two friends pleaded guilty to the crime on Wednesday (Dec 27).

Rigel Douglas Wong, 27, who had been on the run for two years before he was caught, was sentenced by District Judge Ong Chin Rhu to three years and six months’ jail, with 12 strokes of the cane.

He admitted to one count each of robbing the woman and committing theft.

Another count of impersonating a public servant was taken into consideration for sentencing purposes.

The court heard that on March 31, 2015, Wong had hatched a plan to rob prostitutes to earn a quick buck.

Roping in his two friends, Hideyoshi Tanaka, then 27, and Gabriel Foo Junxian, then 20, Wong took down the contact numbers of 10 women and started calling them.

After their initial plan to target one woman in Chinatown was scuttled, another woman, 35-year-old masseuse Xiao Mei Rong, responded to Wong, telling him to proceed to her residence at Balestier.

At around 2am on April 1, 2015, Wong entered her home, but Ms Xiao shut the door before Tanaka and Foo could enter.

Wong came out shortly after and told his friends of their next move.

About 30 minutes later, Foo knocked on the door, entered the home, and prevented Ms Xiao from closing the door. Wong followed and punched Ms Xiao’s face. The two pushed her head roughly several times and forced her to sit down.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Charleston Teo told the court: “They warned the victim that they were police officers, with (Foo) flashing his Institute of Technical Education identification card to (Ms Xiao).”

Foo and Wong then ransacked the house for valuables, making off with S$300 and two mobile phones worth a combined S$750.

The men also pilfered an iPad Mini, and two more mobile phones from Ms Xiao’s housemate. These items were worth around S$2,650 in total.

After the incident, the three men went to a second-hand goods shop in Geylang and sold their loot.

Foo and Tanaka were later arrested. Foo was sentenced to probation, while Tanaka was jailed 14 months.

Wong, who also had past brushes with the law including committing theft and voluntarily causing hurt, was caught only in August this year.

DPP Teo urged the court to impose a sentence on him that is more than “the minimum mandatory jail term” for the robbery offence, charging that Wong was the mastermind. “He hatched the idea … (and) played an active role … in ensuring the plan succeeded.”

In mitigation, defence lawyer Henry Lim told the court that Wong is remorseful. “(He) hopes to be given a chance to turn over a new leaf,” Mr Lim said.

For committing robbery at night, Wong could have been jailed between three and 14 years, and given at least 12 strokes of the cane.

For theft, he could have been jailed up to seven years and fined.

His sentence will be backdated to Aug 12 when he was first remanded.