SINGAPORE —  Her employer’s mother-in-law had called her “useless” and, in retaliation, Than Than Win stabbed her to death with a 21cm-long pair of scissors.

Today (July 27), the domestic helper from Myanmar was sentenced to 13 years in jail for killing 87-year-old Yong Wan Lan in March last year. 

The 25-year-old started working for the family at Springdale Condominium in Upper Bukit Timah in February 2013, and had shared a room with the elderly woman. She was frequently scolded by Mdm Yong and had reacted “drastically” as she was unable to cope with it anymore, said defence lawyer Sunil Sudheesan.

On the morning of March 4 last year, she was again scolded by the old woman but had continued with her chores. While taking a break at about 4pm, she became enraged, picked up the largest pair of scissors around and stabbed Mdm Yong, who had been watching television in a bedroom, to death.

The maid then doused herself with water using a hose. Drenched and barefoot, she wandered around the estate and took a saw from a parked truck to slash her throat. A worker stopped her and the police was called.

As Than Than Win was found to have severe depressive disorder with psychotic symptoms, the prosecution reduced the initial charge of murder to culpable homicide, and pushed for a jail term of 12 to 15 years. 

The defence sought a jail term of less than 10 years, arguing that the maid’s illness had substantially impaired her mental responsibility at the time. Mr Sunil said his client was remorseful and had pleaded guilty, making no attempt to downplay her role.

The maximum sentence for the offence is 20 years’ jail or life imprisonment. Justice Chan Seng Onn noted today that the maid had “viciously attacked and stabbed the grandmother whom (she was) supposed to look after”.

At least 21 stab wounds were found on Mdm Yong, mainly in the chest, abdomen and limbs. 

“The inflicted stab wounds — the deepest of which was 11cm — suggest to me that considerable force was used. The number of stab wounds suggest that you almost attacked her in a frenzy,” said Justice Chan. The maid, whose sentence was backdated to March last year when she was arrested, was given a few minutes to speak with her family after the hearing.