- Illustrative photo.
SINGAPORE: A man who stalked his former employee by lurking around her new workplace and the void deck of her home was sentenced to three months’ jail on Monday (Jan 13).
Sven Teo Jin Kiat, 35, pleaded guilty to one charge under the Protection from Harassment Act, with another similar charge taken into consideration.
From June 2023 to December 2024, the victim, whose identity is protected by a gag order, made a total of seven police reports against Teo for stalking her.
The victim, 29, told the police that Teo would spy on her at her residential block, park his car near her home, wait for her at her block and follow her to bus stops and MRT stations.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Gladys Lim said the victim used to work for Teo at his salon. During this time, Teo confessed that he was interested in her, but she rejected him as he was married.
The woman left Teo’s salon and was hired at another salon that assigned her to work at different branches in various locations including Kent Ridge and Toa Payoh.
From January 2023 to September 2024, after the victim stopped working for Teo, he would loiter and lurk at places she would be at, including the void deck of her home.
DPP Lim said Teo would also follow her on her route to work and home as she was taking the public transport.
“At times, she would see his car following behind the bus that she was taking and (he would) follow her as she was taking the MRT,” said the prosecutor.
On at least four occasions, Teo also sent her items she did not want, including a Christian Dior bag and food with notes attached that professed his feelings for her.
From January to October 2024, Teo sent the victim more than 30 e-mails from at least seven different e-mail addresses, professing his love for her and asking her to meet him.
In the e-mails, Teo called her cruel and heartless for not responding to him and asked her to withdraw her police complaints against him.
In January 2024, Teo was investigated by the police for stalking the victim. When investigations concluded, he was advised by the police to refrain from any criminal conduct.
Despite this, he continued with his behaviour.
The DPP said that as a result of Teo’s actions, the victim felt harassed and distressed and was constantly worried about what he would possibly do to her.
In late 2024, after being charged with stalking and released on bail, Teo continued to stalk the victim on multiple occasions.
Seeking a jail term of three to four months, DPP Lim said it was evident that the victim was distressed during the almost two-year period that she was being relentlessly stalked by Teo.
“She became so vigilant to the point of engaging the help of third parties to monitor if she was being stalked. She received unwanted gifts, unwanted professions of love... she would see him on an almost daily basis when she was on the way to work and on the way home.
“The accused was like an unwanted surveillance camera and the victim was horrified by his actions,” said the prosecutor.
Those convicted of stalking can be jailed for up to one year, fined up to S$5,000, or both. - The Straits Times/ANN
