Graphic designer jailed, fined for trespassing into condo to expose himself, perform obscene act at poolside

• Ong Qing Feng, 28, sneaked into a condominium and performed an obscene act at the poolside
• He earlier admitted to stripping because he wanted to “elicit a reaction” from the condo’s residents 
• He was jailed four weeks and fined S$2,500

SINGAPORE — A 28-year-old man who unlawfully entered a condominium, stripped naked and performed an obscene act by the swimming pool was jailed four weeks and fined S$2,500 on Friday (Jan 8).

Ong Qing Feng, a graphic designer, pleaded guilty earlier to one charge of criminal trespass, a second charge of appearing naked in a private place and exposing himself to public view, and a third charge of behaving in a way that caused insult and alarm to others.

District Judge May Mesenas considered two other similar charges during sentencing.

Ong had sneaked into the One Jervois condominium along Jervois Close near River Valley Road in 2019. Neither a resident nor a guest, he masturbated at the poolside while nude, in full view of residents.

On Friday, Ong’s lawyer Gregory Fong asked for Ong not to be jailed and to be given another chance because he had an exhibitionistic disorder, which drives him to want to expose himself to others.

Adding that Ong has a supportive girlfriend, Mr Fong asked for the maximum fine to be imposed instead, since Ong was already receiving treatment for his condition. 

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Tay Jingxi, however, noted that a subsequent Institute of Mental Health report clarified that exhibitionistic disorder is considered a deviant sexual preference, rather than a psychiatric disorder.

“His self-control was not wrested from him by his exhibitionism,” DPP Tay said. 

She added that Ong was previously fined for molestation and criminal trespass. 

“At some point, the fines must stop and our submission is that that time is now.”

THE CASE

Ong committed the crimes on Sept 13, 2019. 

He entered the private property by tailgating a resident and running through a side gate before it closed.

Once he got in, Ong found his way to the condominium’s pool, where he took off all his clothes, so that he could sunbathe nude and in full view of residents.

Ong had admitted in his statement that he removed his clothes because he wanted to “elicit a reaction from residents who saw his naked buttocks”, the prosecution said.

Some time later, Ong masturbated there after he saw a woman lying by the pool in front of him. He then put on his clothes and left for his office, which was nearby.

Court documents showed that Ong returned to the condominium less than two weeks later on the evening of Sept 24, 2019 by tailgating another resident.

He again sunbathed in the nude and swam in the pool while other residents were around. 

The maximum penalty for criminal trespass is a jail term of up to three months or a fine of up to S$1,500, or both. 

For appearing nude in a private place and exposing himself to public view, Ong could have been jailed up to three months or fined up to S$2,000, or given both punishments. 

As for causing others to feel insulted and alarmed through his behaviour, Ong could have been fined up to S$5,000.