Youths inspired by Crimewatch to rob sex worker sentenced to reformative training

SINGAPORE — Inspired by a case presented on television programme Crimewatch on illegal sex workers being robbed, three youths managed to steal S$100 from one such worker in her rented apartment.

On Thursday (July 18), two of them were sentenced to a minimum of one year in reformative training — a regimented rehabilitation programme for offenders under the age of 21 who commit relatively serious crimes.

At the time of the offence, 16-year-old Theophileous Jebaraj was serving a stint in the Singapore Boys’ Home and had failed to return from time leave.

John Karan Karunakaran, 18, was undergoing probation, but was sent to the Boys’ Home shortly after the robbery.

Both teenagers pleaded guilty last month in the State Courts to committing armed robbery by night. The third youth, a 14-year-old who cannot be named as he is a minor, has been sent to the Boys’ Home for two years.

Theophileous had racked up a string of offences before this, including outrage of modesty, the illegal discharge of fireworks, and causing hurt. John was previously convicted of theft and rioting.

The court heard last month that the trio met on the night of Sept 3 last year to discuss ways they could solve their "financial problems".

The youngest of them suggested that they steal mobile phones, but Theophileous objected and said the “returns” were very low.

Instead, he put forward his own suggestion. He told his fellow conspirators about an episode he saw on Crimewatch about the robbery of illegal sex workers in Singapore. The programme presents crime cases that were solved by the police and dispenses crime prevention advice.

After some discussion, the trio agreed this plot would be the safest way to commit a crime as they would be preying on the sex workers’ “vulnerabilities and insecurities”, given the illicit nature of their work.

They ultimately decided to target a Chinese national living in a rented apartment in Woodlands.

Two days later, they put their plan into action. Armed with knives, they knocked on their victim’s door at around 11.30pm on Sept 5.

Thinking that they were customers, the victim led them in and took Theophileous into a room.

While they were alone, he whipped out a fruit knife and pointed it at her, demanding money.

Fearing they could kill her, she offered no resistance. Theophileous pocketed about S$100 that she had stashed away in her cupboard and drawers.

As he emerged from the room, Theophileous instructed his companions to ransack the house for other valuables before fleeing the apartment.

It was not mentioned in court when the trio were caught, but Deputy Public Prosecutor Marshall Lim said that the victim’s housemate, who is also her compatriot, made a police report four days later.