Man, 36, gets S$2,500 fine for obscene act under overhead bridge

SINGAPORE — Believing that no one could see him as it was dark, a 36-year-old man masturbated under an overhead bridge along Jalan Chermat in Serangoon.

However, he ran away when he saw a passerby take out her phone to call the police.

On Thursday (Aug 24), Hoang Viet Thanh, a Vietnamese, pleaded guilty to one count of committing an obscene act in public. He was fined S$2,500.

Another similar charge for masturbating under another overhead bridge was taken into consideration.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Heershan Kaur said that on May 7 at about 10.30pm, Hoang was watching erotic movies while on a bus.

He then alighted at a bus stop along 1 Jalan Chermat in Serangoon and headed to the overhead bridge.

He went under the bridge to masturbate as it was dark. However, a 24-year-old woman walked past the bridge and spotted Hoang in the act with his pants halfway down.

As she took out her phone to call the police, he pulled up his pants and ran away.

DPP Kaur sought a fine of S$2,000 for Hoang, noting that he had committed a similar offence just five days prior.

Pleading for leniency, Hoang's lawyer, Mr Clarence Tan from Unilegal, said that his client was remorseful for his "foolish actions" and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

For each count of committing an obscene act in public, Hoang could have been jailed for up to three months, fined, or both.