Jail for maid in SG who took and distributed nude pictures of vulnerable elderly man under her care


Hidayah was sentenced to three months’ jail on Tuesday after she pleaded guilty to one count each of voyeurism and distributing an intimate image of the elderly victim. — Image by fabrikasimf on Freepik

SINGAPORE: A maid tasked to take care of a vulnerable elderly man snapped a picture of herself with him in the nude in the background on April 18, 2022.

After that, she sent it to her husband via messaging platform WhatsApp.

Hidayah, 40, who goes by one name, also attached a message in Javanese to her spouse, saying: “Salary 8 million (rupiah) (S$700) but my job is hard, bathing the elderly.”

The Indonesian woman committed a similar offence four days later, and this time she sent the picture to a friend.

Hidayah was sentenced to three months’ jail on Tuesday after she pleaded guilty to one count each of voyeurism and distributing an intimate image of the elderly victim.

The 79-year-old man, who cannot be named due to a gag order, has Parkinson’s disease – a neurodegenerative disorder that leads to muscle tremors as well as difficulty with walking and balance.

Due to the condition, he needs help to perform his daily activities such as eating and showering.

His son-in-law hired Hidayah through an agency in February 2022, and the younger man also gave her a mobile phone.

Hidayah was bathing the elderly man in a Punggol flat at around 10.30am on April 18, 2022, when she received a call from her husband, asking her what she was doing at the time.

She then took a picture of herself with the elderly man using her mobile phone and send it to her husband, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Joshua Phang.

Four days later, she took a similar photo and sent it to a friend via Facebook Messenger

On May 6, 2022, the victim’s son-in-law took Hidayah back to her agency. Court documents did not disclose why he did so. He also took back the mobile phone.

The next day, the son-in-law looked through the device and saw one of the incriminating pictures.

He also checked the WhatsApp chats, and discovered that she had sent the picture to her husband and her sister-in-law.

The police were alerted on May 8, 2022. – The Straits Times (Singapore)/Asia News Network

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Jail

   

Next In Tech News

US crypto industry eyes possible day-one Trump executive orders
Britannica didn’t just survive. It’s an AI company now
'Who's next?': Misinformation and online threats after US CEO slaying
What is (or was) 'perks culture’?
South Korean team develops ‘Iron Man’ robot that helps paraplegics walk
TikTok's rise from fun app to US security concern
Musk, president? Trump says 'not happening'
Jeff Bezos says most people should take more risks. Here’s the science that proves he’s right
Bluesky finds with growth comes growing pains – and bots
How tech created a ‘recipe for loneliness’

Others Also Read