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'A menace to women': Serial molester convicted of 12th offence after groping young woman on bus

SINGAPORE — A serial molester who took dozens of random bus trips each day was on Thursday (Dec 15) convicted of his 12th offence for again molesting a young woman on a bus.

'A menace to women': Serial molester convicted of 12th offence after groping young woman on bus
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  • On Oct 5, Vaz Clive Hilary Cheng Kiat sat behind a 19-year-old girl on the bus and molested her
  • It was his 12th molestation offence and most, if not all, of his past offences had similarly occurred on a bus
  • The judge called for a report to assess Vaz's suitability for a category of harsher punishment that would lock Vaz away for more years
  • But this was not before Vaz's lawyer pleaded for leniency and said that his client has expressed willingness to be chemically castrated so as to not reoffend

SINGAPORE — A serial molester who took dozens of random bus trips each day was on Thursday (Dec 15) convicted of his 12th offence for again molesting a young woman on a bus.

Vaz Clive Hilary Cheng Kiat, a 43-year-old unemployed Singaporean, committed his latest offence just three-and-a-half months after he was released from prison for molesting two women on the bus.

His latest victim was a 19-year-old teenager whom he sexually assaulted in the same manner — by sitting behind his victim and reaching his hand out to touch her.

The victim cannot be named due to a court order to protect her identity.

Given his history of offending, the accused cannot be characterised as other than a menace to women going about their everyday lives.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Chong Kee En

Deputy Public Prosecutor Chong Kee En, who was the same prosecutor in some of Vaz’s previous cases, said: “Given his history of offending, the accused cannot be characterised as other than a menace to women going about their everyday lives."

Vaz appeared in court on Thursday via video-link from his place of remand and pleaded guilty to one count of molestation.

During the hearing, his head was bowed as lawyers and the judge discussed what can be done to stop him from reoffending.

LATEST OFFENCE

Vaz was released on June 17 this year after serving about 10 months in jail for touching two women aged in their 20s under their armpits while travelling on a bus in 2021. 

He was given a psychotherapist appointment with the Institute of Mental Health and placed on a regimen of fluoxetine, an antidepressant, the court heard.

He had previously been diagnosed with major depressive disorder. However, Vaz did not stay on track with his treatment.

On Oct 5 at about 9.30pm, he boarded Bus 969 at Tampines Interchange with a 19-year-old and followed her to the upper deck of the bus.

Although there were other empty seats, he sat behind her and put his hand through the gap between the window and her seat, even before the bus moved off.

For at least 10 to 20 minutes, he left his hand in that position and touched the teenager's chest from time to time.

On and off, the girl felt a sensation but she initially thought was from her hair. At about 10.20pm, when she reached her hand towards her chest, her fingers came into contact with Vaz’s fingers. 

In shock, she turned around to confront Vaz. He stood up and left immediately, alighting in Yishun while the girl stayed on the bus crying. 

She called her mother who told her to report the matter to the bus driver, but Vaz had left by then. 

It was only when the bus reached the Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub that bus driver Muhammad Dzulhijrah Rosli spotted the teenager crying on the upper deck.

After she told him what had happened, he accompanied her to make a police report.

Vaz was arrested eight days later after the police tracked him down. Investigations revealed that he had taken at least 52 bus trips that day, at least 26 of which were on bus service 969.

CHEMICAL CASTRATION

Vaz's past offences date back to 2002, though most were committed from 2018 onwards. He has been handed punishment ranging from a S$4,000 fine to 21 months’ jail when he molested a 13-year-old girl.

Seeking caning on top of a jail term of between 22 and 24 months, DPP Chong said Vaz must be taught that there are consequences to his sexual assaults, since previous stints in prison have not halted his reoffending.

“We don’t really have a choice this time,” DPP Chong added.

Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan raised the possibility of corrective training and preventive detention, which are harsher forms of punishment typically given to repeat offenders with an incarceration period lasting between five and 20 years.

“This has been going on and on,” the judge said. “What concerns me is that he has been treated… but he’s the one who is not taking the medication.”

Vaz’s lawyer, Mr Too Xing Ji from BMS Law, replied: “We appreciate that at some point, we may need to put the foot down.”

The lawyer added that his client has told him that he may be willing to go for chemical castration if it means that he will no longer have his urges.

Mr Too pleaded with the judge not to sentence his client to preventive detention. “I would urge Your Honour to please give my client one more chance. Go through jail, with full disclosure to his psychiatrist… and break him out of the cycle.”

The judge called for a report to assess Vaz’s suitability for corrective training and preventive detention, saying: “There are 12 victims, how many more do we need before we cross the line?”

At this point, Vaz interjected. He said he understands that the issue is that he has not been taking his medication, but he has never missed his medication in prison.

To that, the judge replied: “You have never missed medication in prison — that’s precisely the point. Do we need to keep you in prison or some kind of custody longer just so that people outside can feel safer?”

Vazl is set to return to court for sentencing on Jan 17. He remains in remand.

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