Ex-lawyer filmed his neighbour showering due to ‘work-related stress’, gets 12 weeks’ jail

SINGAPORE — Claiming to be dealing with work-related stress, a young lawyer decided to film his neighbour showering on two occasions by climbing over the parapet of his terrace house for a better view, a court heard on Thursday (Aug 18).

When caught, Nicholas Yeo Shao Yi told investigators that he began experiencing this stress when the circuit-breaker period, which limited movements and activities due to the Covid-19 pandemic, took effect in April 2020.

On Thursday, the 32-year-old Singaporean was jailed for 12 weeks. He has since left the legal industry and was formerly employed at Allen & Gledhill, one of the top law firms here.

Yeo pleaded guilty to two counts of voyeurism. Another two charges of criminal trespass were taken into consideration for sentencing.

WHAT HAPPENED

The court heard that Yeo and the victim, who cannot be named to protect her identity, lived in neighbouring terrace houses at the time of Yeo’s offences.

Their residences shared a wall, and the bathroom adjoining the master bedroom of her home looked out onto a small balcony.

Around 7pm on Nov 23, 2020, the 26-year-old woman was showering in the toilet with her mobile phone playing videos at a loud volume.

Yeo knew at the time that his neighbour had such a habit. When he heard the sound from her phone, Yeo climbed out of his window and over the parapet leading to her balcony to film her.

As she dried herself with a towel, she saw his arm extended through an open window, holding an iPhone.

When she shouted, he fled by climbing the wall separating their balconies and returned to his home. She got dressed before telling her husband what had happened.

The couple then went over to Yeo’s home to confront him where he kept apologising and asked them to lower their voices. He also asked if they could resolve the matter any other way or speak elsewhere.

The victim did not find any incriminating material on his mobile phones when he offered them to her for a check, but she called the police anyway.

Yeo had not managed to take a video on this occasion but he later confessed that several months earlier, he had succeeded in filming her and deleted the footage after that.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Yvonne Poon said investigations revealed that he committed both offences because he had been "experiencing work-related stress since the advent of the circuit breaker”,

DPP Poon did not elaborate on what made Yeo feel stressed at work.

Further forensic examination of Yeo's other electronic devices, including a laptop, did not reveal more obscene content.

GOING THROUGH ‘VERY DIFFICULT PERIOD’

DPP Poon, who asked for 12 to 15 weeks’ jail, noted that similar acts of video recording that insulted a woman's modesty usually attracted 10 to 12 weeks’ jail under an old provision of the Penal Code, which has since been repealed.

Anyone convicted could be jailed for up to a year, while anyone who commit voyeurism — a new offence under the Penal Code that came into force in January 2020 — can be jailed up to two years.

The prosecutor did not seek twice the usual sentencing range, despite the amended law. She also noted that Yeo “demonstrated observable remorse” and did not have any criminal convictions before this.

In mitigation, defence counsel Shashi Nathan asked District Judge Eddy Tham to consider Yeo's personal circumstances.

“He is a young man who had a very good career in front of him, good prospects. As a result of this act, this mistake, this conviction, that career is by all means over,” Mr Nathan said.

He added that Yeo now works in a private enterprise and that he had left the legal profession on his own, which he said showed "self-awareness". However, Yeo could also face disciplinary proceedings brought by the Law Society of Singapore, Mr Nathan added.

The defence lawyer also told the court that Yeo is remorseful and wants a fresh start.

“He was going through a very difficult period in his life, both personally and professionally, and he was unable to control his impulses,” Mr Nathan said.

'BIG STRETCH' TO SAY HE WANTED TO RELIEVE STRESS

In sentencing Yeo, District Judge Tham ruled that the level of intrusion was high and the harm caused was great, given that the victim was filmed completely nude in the privacy of her own home.

The judge also said it was a “big stretch” to say that Yeo could relieve his stress by filming his neighbour in the shower.

The judge noted, though, that Yeo came clean when confronted, admitted to his offences that same day, and disclosed his previous act even though no recording was found on his phone.

District Judge Tham commended Yeo on the steps that he has taken to show remorse, adding that he trusted Yeo would be able to make a “fresh and clean start” upon his prison release.

For each voyeurism offence, Yeo could have been jailed up to two years, fined, caned, or punished with any combination of the three.