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Ex-Prive Group CEO gets treatment order for punching teen, asking him lewd questions

SINGAPORE — The former chief executive officer of The Prive Group, a hospitality and food-and-beverage firm,  was sentenced to a 12-month mandatory treatment order on Tuesday (March 29) for drunkenly punching a 13-year-old boy after asking him obscene questions about his private parts.

Vu Han Jean-Luc Kha (pictured), 44, attacked a 13-year-old boy in a lift and caused significant psychological harm to the boy who still fears being in a lift.

Vu Han Jean-Luc Kha (pictured), 44, attacked a 13-year-old boy in a lift and caused significant psychological harm to the boy who still fears being in a lift.

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  • Vu Han Jean-Luc Kha was drunk when he confronted a 13-year-old boy in a lift at a mall 
  • He asked if the boy had hair on his private parts, then punched and verbally abused him
  • The boy still fears being in a lift and suffers flashbacks of the incident
  • A judge noted that Vu Han’s bipolar disorder had a contributory link to his offences

SINGAPORE — The former chief executive officer of The Prive Group, a hospitality and food-and-beverage firm,  was sentenced to a 12-month mandatory treatment order on Tuesday (March 29) for drunkenly punching a 13-year-old boy after asking him obscene questions about his private parts.

Vu Han Jean-Luc Kha, a 44-year-old Frenchman, was fired from his role a day after pleading guilty last year to voluntarily causing hurt and intentionally causing alarm to the victim.

The company said at first that he would remain its CEO and help it stay afloat during the Covid-19 pandemic. This triggered a strong public backlash, with many writing reviews on The Prive Group’s Facebook page saying that they would boycott the restaurant.

A mandatory treatment order is a community sentencing option offered to offenders suffering from mental conditions that contributed to their offences. 

Deputy Public Prosecutor Goh Yong Ngee, who sought eight weeks’ jail and a fine, told the court that the prosecution may consider filing an appeal against the sentence.

'DEPLORABLE' ACTIONS

In his sentencing remarks, District Judge Lim Tse Haw referred to a report prepared by an Institute of Mental Health (IMH) psychiatrist who was assessing Vu Han’s suitability for the treatment order.

The psychiatrist, Dr Pamela Ng, found that Vu Han, who has bipolar disorder, was likely experiencing a manic episode with possible psychosis during the incident on Nov 22, 2019.

Dr Ng found that his mental illness had a contributory link to his offences and recommended the treatment order.

Vu Han had been drunk when he entered a lift with his friend at Parklane Shopping Mall along Selegie Road that evening. He asked the victim, who was with his 12-year-old brother, whether he had hair on his private parts.

When the victim replied “no”, Vu Han asked if the boy wanted to see his private parts. He eventually punched the boy on the head and verbally abused him with vulgarities.

The victim then grabbed Vu Han’s hands to prevent further blows. Vu Han told him: “You want to challenge me? You have no hair on your (private parts), why do you want to challenge me?’” 

Vu Han's friend then tried to hold him back and pushed him out of the lift when it reached the ground floor, but Vu Han refused to leave and used his foot to stop the lift doors from closing so that he could slap the victim’s face.

District Judge Lim described these offences as “deplorable”, saying that Vu Han had attacked a vulnerable young victim both physically and verbally in a “totally unprovoked” incident.

It was fortuitous that the boy only suffered a minor bruise, though he is now afraid of being alone in a lift with a male adult and has had flashbacks of the attack, the judge added.

However, District Judge Lim said that Vu Han’s actions were “not so heinous” as to rule out the sentencing principle of rehabilitation.

Dr Ng noted in her IMH report that Vu Han has improved significantly since he sought treatment for his bipolar disorder, and had extended a sincere and heartfelt apology to the victim through the investigation officer.

He also offered to compensate the victim for his injuries, but the boy’s parents turned down the offer.

Vu Han's defence counsel, Ms Ee-von Teh of Infinitus Law Corporation, told the court that her client has learnt his lesson.

"He’s seeking treatment and continuously following up on his end to ensure his mood is stable and that he doesn't let his mental illness get the better of him," Ms Teh added.

Offenders convicted of criminal trespass with intent to annoy can be jailed for up to three months or fined up to S$1,500, or be penalised with both.

Related topics

court crime The Prive Group voluntarily causing hurt punch

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