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AGC not appealing case involving NUS dentistry student whose sentence triggered public outcry

SINGAPORE — The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) said on Tuesday (July 21) in response to media queries that it will not appeal the case involving dentistry student Yin Zi Qin, whose sentence had triggered a public outcry and a review of the penalty framework for violent cases.

SINGAPORE — The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) said on Tuesday (July 21) in response to media queries that it will not appeal the case involving dentistry student Yin Zi Qin, whose sentence had triggered a public outcry and a review of the penalty framework for violent cases.

Yin, 23, from the National University of Singapore (NUS), was convicted of voluntarily causing hurt to an ex-girlfriend, 21. Last Friday, he was handed a 12-day short-detention order, a five-month day-reporting order, as well as 80 hours of community service. He will not have a criminal record if the sentence is successfully completed.

“AGC will not be appealing the matter,” a spokesperson said.

On Tuesday, the People’s Action Party’s Women’s Wing and the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) spoke out against the levity of the sentence. There have also been two online petitions related to the case.

Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said on Tuesday that the authorities will review the penalty framework for violent offences and the extent to which the offender’s educational background and other factors are relevant to the punishment.

Mr Shanmugam had declined to comment specifically on Yin’s case when asked, reiterating that the judges “decide based on what is presented to them”.

“I think courts are not the issue. Courts are independent. When we disagree, the approach should be to look at the legal policy framework, which the Government can change,” he added.

Yin tried to choke his victim after she rejected his proposal to resume their relationship and at one point, he pressed his thumb into her eye so hard that it bled.

She struggled but blacked out and found herself on the floor when she regained consciousness shortly after.

Yin apologised and left after the victim told him to leave. As he was leaving, he heard the victim’s mother asking her who had hit her. He then returned to her bedroom to seek her parents’ forgiveness.

Before sentencing, the prosecution had asked for a 14-day short-detention order coupled with a community service order and a day-reporting order.

The defence had sought a day-reporting order and a community-service order. Alternatively, they sought a short-detention order not exceeding one day.

In sentencing, the judge had found that Yin was not suitable for probation but his relative youth, rehabilitative prospects and lack of previous convictions made community-based sentences a viable option. The judge also said he was satisfied that Yin "is not at high risk of reoffending".

Recently, the case of 24-year-old NUS undergraduate Terence Siow, who molested a woman at Serangoon MRT Station, sparked a similar public outcry.

A district judge originally sentenced Siow to 21 months of supervised probation and 150 hours of community service, noting his good academic results, and that he had the “potential to excel in life” and an “extremely strong propensity for reform”.

AGC had appealed against the sentence. In April, Siow was given a two-week jail term instead.  

Related topics

violence assault crime court NUS AGC

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