Man admits to verbally abusing police officer, while out on bail for molesting woman

SINGAPORE — While out on bail in the midst of a trial for molesting a woman, Gunaselan Muthuram stole chocolate from a Giant supermarket, resisted arrest and hurled vulgarities at a police officer.

On Thursday (April 4), the 27-year-old former technician from the Republic of Singapore Navy pleaded guilty to using abusive words towards a public servant, with one count of theft in dwelling to be taken into consideration for sentencing.

He was found guilty last week of two counts of aggravated molestation and one count of criminal intimidation.

He will return to court on April 24 for sentencing, and remains in remand.

SPOTTED VICTIM NEAR ZOUK

Gunaselan committed his molestation offence on Nov 5, 2015 when he was 24 years old.

He had spotted his 20-year-old victim, who cannot be named to protect her identity, in an intoxicated state at a bus stop outside Zouk. She had earlier consumed several shots with her friends in the club.

When she left in a taxi, he flagged a separate taxi and directed the driver to head towards her home. He had overheard her address earlier when her friend was getting the taxi for her.

During the trial, Gunaselan claimed that he offered to take the victim home. He said it was his “duty” to ensure she got home safely and that it was “dangerous” for her to be alone.

His taxi driver testified that while in the vehicle, Gunaselan “seemed to be looking around for something” and told him to drive faster.

Gunaselan arrived at the victim’s block of flats before her, headed for her taxi and paid for her fare, while telling the taxi driver that he was her friend. They were really strangers.

‘I WANT TO RAPE YOU’

He then followed her to the sixth floor where she lived. As they stepped out of the lift, he herded her to an enclosed stairwell and asked her to return the S$20 taxi fare.

The victim testified that he then pushed her against the wall and kissed her all over her face. She could not break free and repeatedly told him to leave her alone, to which he responded more than once: “I want to rape you.”

She also said that she screamed and shouted, but he used his hand to cover her mouth and started to grope her.

Gunaselan denied molesting her, saying she had kissed him first.

She eventually broke free and got to her home, where she rang the doorbell until her father answered. The older man gave chase, but failed to catch him.

Gunaselan was arrested the next day and released from custody on Nov 7.

About a week later, he returned to the victim’s home with two other men, in an attempt to get her to retract her police report. Her father decided to call the police as he felt harassed.

RESISTED ARREST

On Thursday, the court heard that while out on bail, Gunaselan re-offended in the wee hours of May 27, 2017.

At about 1.30am, the police received a complaint stating that he had stolen chocolate from a Giant supermarket, located at Block 86 Redhill Close, before fleeing. He had also stolen a bottle of isotonic drink, 100 Plus.

Two police officers spotted him at a nearby bus stop. When they approached and asked him to follow them back to the supermarket, he refused and tried to walk away.

Sergeant Wee Wei Xiong held his hand, but Gunaselan resisted violently while shouting vulgarities.

The two officers managed to pin him to the ground with the help of two members of the public, as well as other police officers who came to provide back-up.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Rebecca Wong sought five years and three months’ jail, as well as nine strokes of the cane, for Gunaselan in relation to the sexual offences. She asked for a fine for the verbal abuse of Sergeant Wee.

He had exhibited a “high degree of premeditation”, she argued, and clearly “went to extreme lengths” to molest the victim. “The accused acted with deliberation and calculation — this should be regarded as highly aggravating,” she added.

During mitigation, Gunaselan’s lawyer Jayakumar Naidu said his client was the sole breadwinner of his family and was discharged from the navy following his offences.

“That was already a considerable punishment,” the lawyer added.