No Respect In Singapore Either

After damaging repo man's car and calling the judge 'cute', bankrupt with violent mood swings is sentenced

Leong Wee Keat
weekeat@mediacorp.com.sg

HER sports car was going to be repossessed but Wong Nguek Chin was reluctant to part with the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII.

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So the 45-year-old climbed on repo man See Song Chang's car and started jumping up and down. Not only did she damage the sunroof of Mr See's car, but she also scratched the bonnet and bent the wipers.

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For that, Wong was fined $2,000 by District Judge Eddy Tham yesterday.

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Taken to court on a private summons, District Judge Tham found that Mr See's lawyer, Mr G Dinagaran, had "proven their case beyond reasonable doubt".

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Wong, a bankrupt, chose not to pay the fine, and spent a day in jail instead. She was facing a jail term of up to two years and a fine.

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Wong, who tried unsuccessfully to find a counsel yesterday to represent her, said in mitigation that she had numerous problems with both her mental and physical health. She said she was suffering from injuries to her spine and lower abdomen.

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Wong also appeared subdued yesterday, a vast contrast to the brave front she put up during the three-day trial, which took place last month.

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Wong repeatedly asked irrelevant questions during last month's hearing and was told off by the judge. She also wrote a card to the judge, addressing him as "dearest" and gushing that she liked his "cuteness and sweetness".

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But District Judge Tham was unmoved and sent her to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for three weeks.

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Yesterday, an IMH psychiatrist's report was submitted to the Court stating that and she was diagnosed to be suffering from schizoaffective disorder — characterised by manic depression and violent mood swings.

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Wong pleaded for leniency and also apologised to the court for "wasting its time".

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In sentencing her yesterday, District Judge Tham took note of her mental condition but stated that he was "shocked" by Wong's act of mischief.

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While Mr See was pleased that justice was eventually served, he told reporters outside court that the legal proceedings could have been avoided — if Wong had accepted his request of an apology and footing the cost of repairs, which amounted to $2,400.