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Sunway RE Capital Expands Student Accommodation Portfolio with New Acquisition of Freehold Purpose-Built Student Accommodation, Green Wood Court, in Southampton, UK

With 233 beds arranged as 217 non en-suites and 16 studios, Green Wood Court has achieved a 100% occupancy rate for the academic year 2022/2023The freehold Purpose-Built Student Accommodation ("PBSA"), Green Wood Court, is located just a few minutes' walk from the University of Southampton's Highfield and Bolderwood campuses with established connection links to the UK and rest of EuropeGreen Wood Court has undergone extensive refurbishments in 2018 and there are opportunities for asset enhancement initiatives to add new studios within the PBSAUniversity of Southampton is a global top 100 university and is also ranked one of the top 13 university in the UK, with a community of over 6,500 international students from 135 countriesResilient, healthy demand for Green Wood Court by students of University of Southamptonwith limited supply of PBSAs in the areaPost-acquisition, Sunway RE Capital owns and manages a portfolio of 5 PBSA assets (AUM of £75 million) with over 800 beds spanning across key cities in the UKMalaysia, Singapore, Feb 6, 2023 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Sunway RE Capital ("Sunway RE Capital"), a platform for international real estate investments of Sunway Group - one of Southeast Asia's leading conglomerates, is pleased to announce the expansion of its student accommodation portfolio with the acquisition of a new freehold PBSA, Green Wood Court, in Southampton, UK, through its established and sponsored private trust established in Singapore, Sunway Residence Trust II.Strategically located with a few minutes' walk from the University of Southampton's Highfield and Bolderwood campuses, the 233-bed freehold PBSA, Green Wood Court, also has a bus stop situated directly in front of the property that facilitates ease of access to the rest of the University's halls and campuses, as well as established connection links to the UK and rest of Europe.Green Wood Court has achieved a 100% occupancy rate for the academic year 2022/2023 and in 2018, Green Wood Court has been extensively refurbished with new carpets, bathrooms, showers, furniture, and fittings in 2018. Please see APPENDIX A of this press release for pictures of Green Wood Court.There are opportunities for asset enhancement initiatives to add new studios within Green Wood Court and following the acquisition, Sunway RE Capital will be exploring its options to optimise the potential of this PBSA.According to Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, universities in the UK are seeking to stabilise student numbers after a surge over the last two years amid the COVID pandemic. The trend is likely to continue in the coming years, as universities in the UK grapple with growing numbers of applications due to an increase in the number of 18-year-olds in the UK population. This is projected to continue for a decade, rising 2-3% almost every year with international student numbers growing as well.Ranked as the 6th safest big city in the UK, the University of Southampton's campuses are located in prosperous and green areas of Southampton. A global top 100 university, the University of Southampton is also ranked as one of the top 13 university in the UK with a community of over 6,500 international students from 135 different countries.Post-acquisition, Sunway RE Capital owns and manages a portfolio of 5 PBSA assets (AUM of £75 million) with over 800 beds spanning across key cities in the UK.Sunway RE Capital Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Tan Kok Heng, said: "The demand for quality education overseas continues to see a steady rise post pandemic and the UK remains one of the most popular destination for overseas students in the world. With its 100% occupancy rate and limited supply of PBSAs in the area, the acquisition of the 233-bed Green Wood Court in Southampton, UK, marks an attractive addition to our PBSA portfolio and it is consistent with our fund strategy to achieve steady and stable income streams, with potential value-added upside through active asset management and enhancement initiatives.Building on this momentum and the strength of Sunway's track record and competencies, we aim to accelerate our efforts to scale up our platform to acquire additional yield accretive student accommodations in the UK, grow our AUM and extend our track record."For more information on Sunway RE Capital, please visit: www.sunwayrecapital.comAbout Sunway GroupEstablished in 1974, Sunway Group is one of Southeast Asia's leading conglomerates with 13 business divisions across more than 50 locations primarily in Asia. Our 16,000-strong team is committed to sustainable development and socio-economic progress through our diverse businesses including core interests in real estate, construction, education, healthcare, retail and hospitality.Sunway is committed to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and continues to align them with our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) targets as part of our corporate strategy and social responsibility towards driving the group's long-term success and deepening our commitment to nation-building.Our three public-listed companies — Sunway Berhad, Sunway Construction Group Berhad, and Sunway REIT, with a combined market capitalisation of RM 15 billion — form a real-estate value chain that exemplifies socially responsible business practices. For more information, visit www.sunway.com.my.About Sunway RE Capital Pte LtdSunway RE Capital Pte Ltd invests in listed and unlisted funds established in Singapore. Sunway RE Capital's objective is to invest in real estate for recurring income along with a fund management platform. Its key investment focus is commercial properties and purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) primarily in the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.sunwayrecapital.comSunway RE Capital is also one of the sponsors of Elite Commercial REIT (ECR) which is listed in Singapore since February 2020 with a market capitalisation of £227 million. ECR is the first and only UK- Focused S-REIT which comprises 155 predominantly freehold quality commercial buildings ("Portfolio") located across the UK with an aggregate value of £517.7 million. The Portfolio has a total net internal area of approximately 3.9 million square feet and a total site area of approximately 72 hectares. For more information, visit www.elitecreit.com.About Sunway Residence Trust IISunway Residence Trust II, sponsored by Sunway RE Capital Pte Ltd, is a private trust established in Singapore that aims to create a stable recurring income with potential growth in net asset value to its investors. This fund approaches its acquisition strategy by a two-level approach namely geographical allocation and diversification of the portfolio as well as micro location of the assets.With the primary goal being acquisition of assets within the Russell Group Universities cities, the trust carefully examines potential assets and their occupancy demand prior to their acquisition decision. Standing with a current portfolio of £75 million valuation, 828 beds, and less than 5 years of average asset age, Sunway Residence Trust II currently owns assets such as Green Wood Court, Redvers Tower, The Colston, Centre Gate, and Mansion Point. For more information, visit https://sunwayrecapital.com/portfolio/sunway-residence-trust/.Issued on behalf of Sunway RE Capital by 8PR Asia Pte Ltd.Media Contact: Mr. Alex TANMobile: +65 9451 5252Email: alex.tan@8prasia.com Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Yoga instructor who allegedly molested 5 women during classes charged in court

SINGAPORE - A yoga instructor has been hauled up for allegedly touching five women improperly during classes. On Tuesday (Nov 30), the 32-year-old Indian national, who told a district court that he is now unemployed, was charged with 10 counts of molestation. Details about him and his then workplace cannot be disclosed due to a gag order to protect the identities of his alleged victims. They were then between 24 and 29 years old. He was at his downtown workplace some time in 2019 when he allegedly slapped a 24-year-old woman's buttock with his hand. Between 2019 and July last year, he is said to have performed acts such as touching the women's private parts. The man appeared in court via video link and was offered bail of $15,000 on Tuesday. His case has been adjourned to Dec 14. Police said in an earlier statement that they have zero tolerance towards sexual offenders who "threaten the personal safety of the community". The man was not the first yoga instructor to face molestation charges. In April 2018, another Indian national was sentenced to nine months' jail and a fine of $1,000 after he molested a female student, then 25, in 2015. Following a 12-day trial which began in 2016, the court convicted him of one count each of outraging her modesty and using criminal force on her. He cupped her breast while she was bending forward. She smacked his hand away and told him not to do it. Instead of stopping, he pinched her breast. She told him off again but he molested her a third time by reaching into her bra. She knocked his hand away. More on this topic   Related Story Minimal physical contact with clients is the golden rule for fitness trainers in Singapore   Related Story Male dance instructor allegedly molested 2 boys in different primary schools The man, then 26, appealed against his conviction, with his lawyer arguing that surveillance footage of the studio indicated that he could not have molested the woman in the way she described. The court rejected the arguments. In October 2018, the man's jail sentence was increased to a year, and he was also ordered to receive three strokes of the cane after the High Court allowed an appeal by the prosecution. For each count of molestation, an offender can be jailed for up to two years and fined or caned. More on this topic   Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories

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Teen who did backflip in Singapore Zoo’s rhino pen admits to offences

SINGAPORE - A youth caught on video doing a backflip inside the white rhinoceros enclosure at the Singapore Zoo pleaded guilty to eight charges for offences including mischief and criminal trespass in a district court on Thursday (Nov 25). Ralph Wee Yi Kai, 19, who appeared in court via video-link, had performed the stunt on Dec 17 last year. The police, who were alerted to the case at around 5.40pm that day, said: "Preliminary investigations revealed that the man's companion, an 18-year-old woman, allegedly filmed him before the man posted the video on his TikTok account, using the moniker @ralphwee_. "Through investigations, officers from Woodlands Police Division established the identities of the man and woman on the same evening." The police later issued the woman a stern warning for abetting criminal trespass. Wee was first charged in July with two counts of mischief and one count each of vandalism and criminal trespass. He was out on bail of $15,000 when he consumed cannabis. He had the bail revoked and was remanded. On Oct 13, he appeared in court via video link and was charged with one count of drug consumption. He was later released on bail of $20,000. Instead of keeping out of trouble, he committed other offences, including cutting off his electronic tag on Oct 26. Wee was placed back in remand soon after he failed to turn up in court on Nov 5 and had a warrant of arrest issued against him. More on this topic   Related Story 4 teens probed for being public nuisance after one of them flips signboard at toddler   Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories

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SMU student sentenced to 10 months’ jail and given 3 strokes of the cane for molesting woman on campus

SINGAPORE - A Singapore Management University (SMU) student was on Monday (Oct 25) sentenced to 10 months' jail and ordered to be given three strokes of the cane for molesting a woman on campus in 2019. The incident occurred when the two met for a study session in a classroom at around 1am on Jan 8 that year. Lee Yan Ru, now 25, had got to know the victim on social media platform Instagram about one month before. Before handing down the sentence on Monday, District Judge Sharmila Sripathy-Shanaz said that the degree of sexual exploitation in this case was high. She also said that Lee’s touch on the victim was “more than fleeting”. On Aug 31, the judge found Lee guilty of one count of molestation following a trial. The victim, who was then studying at another university, cannot be named due to a gag order to protect her identity. She was 20 years old when the Singaporean man molested her. During the trial that started in September last year, the court heard that she got to know Lee on Instagram around December 2018 and that they had mutual friends. On Jan 8, 2019, she met Lee outside SMU's School of Economics and Social Sciences at around 1am and they went into a classroom. The woman testified that while they were in the room, Lee committed acts such as placing his foot on her thigh several times. She also told the court that Lee groped her at around 4am and she prised his fingers off. When Deputy Public Prosecutor Andre Chong asked her during the trial why she did not leave, she replied: "I did not want to leave a bad impression or make him feel bad. I didn't want to make things hostile." Lee then stimulated himself about two hours later while he was kneeling over the woman, who was asleep. She alerted the police at around 6.30am. The woman told the court that after committing the offence, Lee took out some tissue paper to wipe her. DPP Chong said that the Health Sciences Authority's DNA Profiling Laboratory found that the tissue paper contained Lee's body fluids. Swabs taken from the woman's neck and face also gave similar results, the court heard. More on this topic   Related Story NTU student allegedly used mobile phone to look under woman's clothes on campus   Related Story S'porean studying at top British university convicted of filming multiple women, mostly in local toilets Lee, who took the stand earlier this year, testified that he had assumed the acts were consensual. Delivering her verdict in August, the judge noted that Lee did not deny committing the sexual act on the victim. Instead, he had claimed that the victim was "fine" with his advances and that she had been "coy" with him. Judge Sharmila, however, noted that the woman was asleep when Lee started performing the sexual act on her. As such, she was in no position to consent to it. The judge also found that the woman had been truthful in court, and added that Lee "was fully aware (the victim) wanted him to desist". On Monday, the court heard that Lee intends to appeal against his conviction and sentence. He was offered bail of $20,000. For molestation, an offender can be jailed for up to two years and fined or caned. More on this topic   Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories

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Probation not recommended for S’porean student from top British university who recorded voyeuristic videos of women

SINGAPORE - Probation is not recommended for a Singaporean student from a top British university who filmed multiple women at various places here, a district court heard on Monday (Sept 20). On July 29, the man, 23, had pleaded guilty to seven counts of insulting the women's modesty and an offence under the Films Act. On Monday, defence lawyer Kalidass Murugaiyan told the court that he has some questions for the probation officer and psychologist who attended to the offender. The lawyer told District Judge Tan Jen Tse that he wants to know how the risk assessment was undertaken. The offender, who cannot be named due to a gag order, is now out on bail of $20,000. His pre-trial conference will be held on Oct 18. During the earlier proceeding on July 29, the court heard that the clips he recorded involved 11 identified women and one unknown victim. Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Foo Shi Hao then applied to the court for the gag order on his identity to be lifted, noting that the victims were unanimous in supporting the move. The gag order had been issued earlier to protect the women, who could be identified if the man is named. The order also does not allow the university to be named as doing so could lead to his identity being revealed. Urging the court to reject the application, Mr Ashvin Hariharan, who is also representing the offender, pointed out that the prosecution had been unsuccessful in making a similar application previously. When Judge Tan ruled that the gag order be lifted, the defence said they may raise the matter to the High Court. In the meantime, the gag order remains. The offender, who started his university studies in 2018, targeted his first victim, then 18, in the wee hours on Dec 2, 2015. He placed a recording device in a hotel room toilet to film her showering. In early 2016, the principal of her junior college told her the clip had been circulating online. The police were alerted. The offender continued targeting more women. He installed a recording device in a toilet in his home, and took an upskirt video of a 20-year-old while she was on an escalator. The court heard that two of the videos were circulated online. More on this topic   Related Story Youth, now 20, started taking upskirt videos when he was between 12 and 15 years old   Related Story NUS student admits to insulting the modesty of 2 women on campus After receiving multiple reports between early 2016 and June 2019, the police identified the man as the main suspect. They raided his home on July 3, 2019, and seized seven of his personal devices. Forensic analysis uncovered 16 offending videos and 124 upskirt photographs. He had recorded the two videos that were circulated online and the other 16 found in his devices. Fourteen of the 18 videos were taken at his home. He later came clean to the police about what he had done. DPP Tan Zhi Hao had earlier said: "In total, he estimated that the number of voyeuristic videos he had filmed was 'maybe three digits'. "He would commit the offences when he felt stressed from school or work. He felt that filming the victims 'was an addiction' to him." For each charge of insulting a woman's modesty, an offender can be jailed up to a year and fined. More on this topic   Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories

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Football: Ex-Germany defender Boateng guilty of bodily harm, fined €1.8 million

MUNICH, GERMANY (REUTERS) - Former Germany and Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng, who this month signed for Olympique Lyonnais, was found guilty of premeditated bodily harm on his former partner, a spokesman for a court in Munich said on Thursday (Sept 9). He was fined €1.8 million (S$2.8 million). The 2014 World Cup winner, who had appeared in the Munich court wearing a dark blue suit, was accused of injuring his ex-girlfriend in a fight during a vacation in 2018. The mother of his twin daughters accused Boateng of hurling a lamp at her which missed and then throwing a small cooling box which injured her arm before hitting her and pulling her hair. Boateng had denied injuring his ex-girlfriend. The 33-year-old centre-back spent 10 years at Bayern after joining from Manchester City in 2011, winning nine Bundesliga titles and two Champions League trophies. He signed a two-year contract at Ligue 1 side Lyon last week. More on this topic   Related Story Football: Ex-Germany star Jerome Boateng to face assault charges in Munich court   Related Story Football: Jerome Boateng fined for leaving Munich and visiting sick son 'without permission'

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SMU molestation case: Man, 25, convicted of outraging woman’s modesty

SINGAPORE - A Singapore Management University (SMU) student has been convicted of molesting a woman on campus in 2019. On Tuesday (Aug 31), District Judge Sharmila Sripathy found Lee Yan Ru, now 25, guilty of one count of molestation. In delivering her verdict, the judge noted that Lee did not deny committing the sexual act on the victim, who was then 21 years old. Instead, he had claimed that the victim was "fine" with his advances and that she had been "coy" with him. During an earlier court proceeding, Lee had testified that he assumed the victim did not mean it when she told him to stop committing the offence. On Tuesday, Judge Sharmila noted that the woman was asleep when Lee started performing the sexual act on her. As such, she was in no position to consent to it. The judge also found that the woman had been truthful in court, and added that Lee "was fully aware (the victim) wanted him to desist". The victim, who was then studying at another university, cannot be named due to a gag order to protect her identity. During the trial that started in September last year, the court heard that she got to know Lee on social media platform Instagram around December 2018 and that they had mutual friends. On Jan 8, 2019, she met Lee outside SMU's School of Economics and Social Sciences at around 1am for a study session and they went into a classroom. The woman had earlier testified that while they were in the room, Lee committed acts such as placing his foot on her thigh several times. She had also told the court that Lee groped her at around 4am and she prised his fingers off. When Deputy Public Prosecutor Andre Chong asked her during the trial why she did not leave, she replied: "I did not want to leave a bad impression or make him feel bad. I didn't want to make things hostile." Lee then stimulated himself about two hours later while he was kneeling over the woman, who was asleep. She alerted the police at 6.37am. During the trial last year, the woman told the court that after committing the offence, Lee took out some tissue paper to wipe her. More on this topic   Related Story SMU molestation trial: Accused insists alleged victim consented to advances   Related Story Alleged victim in SMU molestation case says male friend tried to kiss her repeatedly DPP Chong had earlier said that the Health Sciences Authority's DNA Profiling Laboratory found that the tissue paper contained Lee's body fluids. Swabs taken from the woman's neck and face also gave similar results, the court heard. Lee, who took the stand earlier this year, had testified that he did not think she meant it when she said "stop" and he had assumed the acts were consensual. He had told the court: "When she said 'stop', to me, it was in a very jest(ful) manner... I believe she wanted me to carry on because throughout the night, she was getting more comfortable with me, there was this coy behaviour from her." Lee's bail was set at $20,000 on Tuesday and he is expected to be sentenced on Oct 18. For molestation, an offender can be jailed for up to two years and fined or caned. More on this topic   Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories

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Woman detained after shouting in court during Benjamin Glynn trial

SINGAPORE - A woman has been detained after shouting in court during the trial of Benjamin Glynn on Wednesday (Aug 18) morning. The judge had told the woman, whose mask had broken, to leave the court. But she refused to comply and started shouting "kangaroo court" several times. She was also heard calling herself a "living woman" and saying she had no contract with the police, making reference to the same sovereign citizen movement as Glynn had made. When the police attempted to escort her out, she told them not to touch her. She also shouted: "I do not respect the judge." The judge instructed the police to remove her from the court and stood down the case temporarily. The case resumed shortly after she left the court escorted by several officers. Outside the courtroom, the woman remarked that wearing a mask was unnecessary. When told that she was not allowed to enter the court again, the woman questioned the officers. She said: "Why can't I go back inside? Is he (the judge) afraid I'll call him a kangaroo again?" When the woman attempted to leave about 15 minutes later, the officers stopped and detained her. Benjamin Gylnn was seen in a video maskless while riding in an MRT train in May. PHOTOS: ST FILE, SCREENGRAB FROM KEEFE CHAN/FACEBOOK She then told the police she was a Singaporean and recited her IC number to them. The Straits Times understands she has been detained and is being questioned by the police in a holding room in the State Courts. ST has contacted the police for comment.

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Tennis: Tsitsipas moves into quarter-finals at Toronto ATP tournament

TORONTO, CANADA (AFP) - Stefanos Tsitsipas turned 23 on Thursday (Aug 12) with a solid win into his fourth ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final of the season as he beat Olympic silver medalist Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-2 in Toronto. The Greek third seed set up a last-eight meeting with the form player of the moment, Norway's Casper Ruud, who extended his summer win streak to 13 matches. The sixth-seeded Scandinavian dispatched Serb Dusan Lajovic 6-4, 6-3 after winning three straight titles on clay in his first hardcourt tournament of the summer. Ruud claimed his 37th win of the season against just nine defeats and said that making the transition from clay to cement is all a part of the season. "It's fun to play on hardcourt, even if I've had my best results on clay; my best Slam result this season was at the Australian Open (quarter-finals). "This is a surface which I think can suit my game. I'm very motivated to come back to the hardcourts. ''We will be on them for the next seven or eight months from now." Tsitsipas now owns 177 ATP-level match wins and has defeated Khachanov four times. Tsitsipas finished off Khachanov in 80 minutes, with the Russian committing more than 30 unforced errors. The birthday boy received a serenade from fans and a cake on court. "This is one of the best feelings that you can experience on a tennis court, I'm glad they remembered," he said. "It's always a beautiful day when it's your birthday." The Greek knows he will have to work against Ruud on Friday. ''Casper is a player who has been developing very good recently; he had an amazing clay court season. "We are the same age, we grew up playing each other; it can be quite intense."

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Briton caught on video not wearing mask claims to be ‘sovereign’, says charges do not apply to him

SINGAPORE - A man captured on video not wearing a mask on an MRT train in May told a district court on Thursday (Aug 5) that he is "sovereign", adding, "The charges don't apply to me". On the first day of his trial, Benjamin Glynn, 40, who is now in remand after his bail of $5,000 was revoked on July 19, said: "I will never plead guilty or not guilty." The unrepresented Briton also said that he has a "legal counsel", pointing to a man who turned up in court wearing a dark-coloured suit. It turned out that the man, identified as Mr Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, had been his bailor. Deputy Public Prosecutor Timotheus Koh told the court that Mr Abdul Rashid was not an advocate and solicitor at the Supreme Court of Singapore. District Judge Eddy Tham said that Mr Abdul Rashid could not represent anybody in Singapore as he had not been called to the bar here. Addressing the court, Mr Abdul Rashid said that he is an "ambassador-at-large and advocate of Kingdom Filipina Hacienda", and that he was there to defend his "sovereign compatriot". He also said: "I don't need a licence to practice." Judge Tham replied that this was "not the position" of the law here and Mr Abdul Rashid took his seat in the gallery with other members of the public. DPP Koh also urged the court to have Glynn assessed so as to ensure he is of sound mind and capable to defend himself in court. The prosecutor said that the Briton's family and friends had written in, stating that there had been a marked change in his behaviour after Covid-19 restrictions were rolled out in Singapore. The DPP also highlighted Glynn's behaviour in court on Thursday as well as during earlier proceedings and said: "The accused's behaviour in court speaks for itself." Objecting the application, Glynn raised his voice and exclaimed: "My mind is crystal clear.. I'm wide aware. I'm enlightened... Just because I refuse to be a slave, you accuse me of being a lunatic." He added that he had spent "hundreds of hours" studying the law and said that he knew legal matters better than DPP Koh. Stressing that he had been "kidnapped and abducted" against his will, Glynn also said that he had been "tortured physically and psychologically". He also urged the court to drop the case and return him his passport so that he could return to his family in Britain. After hearing both sides, Judge Tham said that there is reason to suspect Glynn could be of unsound mind. He ordered the Briton to be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for psychiatric observation. The trial will resume on Aug 19. Unhappy with the decision, Glynn lashed out at the court and exclaimed: "I'm disgusted with how the Singapore judicial system has treated me." A woman who was seated in the gallery clapped when she heard this, prompting the judge to remind her to practise decorum in court. Before he was led away, Glynn exclaimed: "Good luck getting into the book of life, Mr Koh... How can you say Singapore is a safe country. Police who hunt me down like a pack of wild animals. This is not justice. This is disgusting." More on this topic   Related Story Woman caught not wearing a mask at MBS and other places is expected to plead guilty on Aug 12   Related Story 'Sovereign' woman pleads guilty to breaching Covid-19 rules, gets 2 weeks' jail and fine The Briton faces two charges under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, as well as one count each of harassment and being a public nuisance. He allegedly failed to wear a mask while travelling on an MRT train from Raffles Place station to Holland Village station between 11.06pm and 11.31pm on May 7. He is then said to have caused annoyance to the public during the trip by declaring: "I will never wear a mask." In a video that was widely circulated on social media, the Briton is seen telling the other commuters: "I'm very religious... I hate seeing uncles, granddads with a mask on." On May 9, Glynn was at the ground level lift lobby of Allsworth Park condominium in Holland Road at around 12.30am when he allegedly used threatening words while addressing two police officers - Assistant Superintendent Alvin Quek Chin Han and Inspector Chee Xiu Quan. Glynn is said to have hurled an obscene word at them when he said: "I'm going to... drop you." He first appeared in the State Courts on July 2 and was not wearing a mask when he arrived at the main entrance of the building. He put one on after a security officer asked him to do so. He was then handed three charges - one count each of harassment, being a public nuisance and an offence under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act. Covid-19: Benjamin Glynn leaving State Courts building without a mask Glynn was walking outside the State Courts building after his court proceedings later that day when he was caught on video with his mask off. On July 19, Glynn was handed his fourth charge, which is linked to this incident "within and outside" the State Courts building. He had his bail revoked and has been in remand since then. For each charge under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, an offender can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $10,000. If convicted of harassment, an offender can be jailed for up to a year and fined up to $5,000. More on this topic   Related Story Jail, fine for man who verbally abused and assaulted bus driver who told him to wear mask properly   Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories

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S’porean studying at top British university convicted of filming multiple women in local toilets

SINGAPORE - A Singaporean student from a top university in Britain has admitted to filming multiple women inside local toilets, a district court heard on Thursday (July 29). The offender, who is now 23, pleaded guilty to seven counts of insulting a woman's modesty and an offence under the Films Act. Deputy Public Prosecutor Foo Shi Hao then applied to the court for the gag order on the offender's identity to be lifted, noting that the victims were unanimous in supporting the move. The gag order had been issued earlier to protect the women, who could be identified if the man is named. The order also does not allow the university to be named as doing so could lead to the man's identity. Urging the court to deny the application, defence lawyer Ashvin Hariharan pointed out that the prosecution had been unsuccessful in making a similar application previously. When District Judge Tan Jen Tse ruled that the gag order can be lifted, the defence said it may bring the matter to the High Court. In the meantime, the gag order remains. One of the man's offences took place in 2015, when he placed a video recording device in the bathroom of a hotel room and filmed a woman as she was taking a shower. He committed a similar offence the following year. This time, he placed a recording device in a toilet in an apartment in the eastern part of Singapore and filmed another woman. In earlier proceedings, the court heard that he started his studies at the university in 2018. On Thursday, Judge Tan called for a report to assess the man's suitability for probation. The case has been adjourned to Aug 26. For each charge of insulting a woman's modesty, an offender can be jailed for up to a year and fined. More on this topic   Related Story NUS student admits to insulting the modesty of 2 women on campus   Related Story NUS student who filmed women showering in dorm jailed for 12 weeks

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Teen, 17, dies after basketball backboard structure falls on him in Bedok

SINGAPORE - A 17-year-old died after a basketball backboard structure in Bedok fell on him on Monday (July 26) night. The police said they were called at about 8.45pm and found the injured teen next to the fallen structure near Block 18 Bedok South Road. "A 17-year-old male teenager was unconscious when conveyed to the hospital, where he subsequently died from his injuries," the police told ST on Tuesday. They are investigating the case of unnatural death. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) were also called and they took the boy to Changi General Hospital (CGH). Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was conducted on him while he was being taken to CGH, said SCDF. In a Facebook post on Tuesday morning, the East Coast Town Council said: “Based on the initial information received, a basketball hoop structure had collapsed and fell onto one of the users of the court. For the safety of our residents, we have closed the basketball court with immediate effect so as to conduct a thorough check on the integrity of all structures there. “Our heart goes out to the victim and his family. We will work closely with the relevant agencies to provide support and assistance to them.” The town council said it is cooperating with police investigations and urged those with more information on what had happened to contact Bedok Police Division on 1800-244-0000. Fallen basketball structure near Block 18 Bedok South Road on July 27, 2021. ST PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAVID ST understands that the boy is a student of the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). When ST arrived at the basketball court at about 10.30am on Tuesday, the fallen structure and a large stain of dried blood were seen. The area was cordoned off by uniformed police officers as many residents looked on. A resident, who wished to be known only as Ms Yap, said that she heard a loud bang on Tuesday night and went to the corridor to take a look. The 58-year-old housewife told ST in Mandarin: “I saw a lot of people crowding around the court. The boy was lying there with a lot of blood and people were resuscitating him.” At about 11am, six men from a contracted company removed the structure from the court. Mr Heng Swee Keat at Block 18 Bedok South Road on July 27, 2021. ST PHOTO: YEO SHU HUI Deputy Prime Minister and MP for East Coast GRC Heng Swee Keat was spotted at the basketball court at 11.45am speaking to residents. ST understands that DPM Heng had visited the family of the victim to offer assistance. In a video uploaded by Facebook user Ak Ong onto the Chinese Daily Lianhe Wanbao’s page last night, the basketball hoop structure can be seen completely uprooted from the ground. Several onlookers watched as paramedics administered CPR to the boy lying on the court. More on this topic   Related Story Marina East Drive accident: Bike ride with friends during school holidays ends tragically for teen   Related Story Boy's drowning off Changi Beach ruled an 'unfortunate misadventure'

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‘Ferrari woman’ must pay former husband over $430,000, court rules

SINGAPORE - A woman, who once caused a traffic jam in Orchard Road when she stopped her Ferrari, failed in her attempt on last Friday (July 9) to avoid paying more than $430,000 to her former husband. Retired interior designer Shi Ka Yee, 75, had applied to the High Court to set aside a statutory demand by Mr Patrick Teo Chong Nghee, 73, that was served on her in May. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.

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Tribunal award ordering Nop Narongdej payment to Nopporn Suppipat reversed by Singapore Court of Appeal

BANGKOK, Jun 30, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The Singapore Court of Appeal has rendered the final decision absolving Nop Narongdej of obligation to make compound payments for the purchase of shares in Wind Energy Holding (WEH), on the grounds that the ICC Tribunal award was made in excess of jurisdiction.Mr Pokpak Thongbhakdee, attorney-at-law for FBLP, the legal counsel for the case, reports that the Singapore Court of Appeal revoked the ICC's Arbitral Tribunal decision ordering Fullerton Bay Investment Limited (Fullerton) and KPN Energy Holding Co., Ltd. (KPNEH), both under Mr Nop, to pay 'Remaining Amounts' and 'Compound Interest' under an agreement to purchase shares in Wind Energy Holding Group (WEH), then held by Mr Nopporn Suppipat's companies. The Tribunal order amounted to USD525 million plus interest as well as the costs of the arbitration. The Singapore Court of Appeal ruling is binding. In a complex ruling, the Court of Appeal found the Tribunal without authority to deliberate matters of Compounded Payments and therefore the decision on the Remaining Amounts has no legal effect. The Tribunal decision ordering Fullerton and KPNEH to pay arbitration costs was also revoked by the Singapore Court of Appeal.For his part, Mr Nop commended the Singapore Court for upholding justice in its decision, thereby clearing his name and resolving the dispute with the previous shareholder of WEH, which had posed an obstacle to previous efforts to list the company on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.FBLP is a nationally recognized law firm for business since 2000.Press release disseminated by MT Multimedia Co., Ltd. For more information, contact Orn-anong (Fah) Pattaravejakul.Tel: +66 86 801 8888; E-mail: ornanong.p@mtmultimedia.com Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Tennis: Wimbledon ends in tears for injured Serena

LONDON (REUTERS) - Tennis great Serena Williams limped out of Wimbledon in tears on Tuesday (June 29) after her latest bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles crown ended in injury. The American sixth seed and seven-time Wimbledon winner was clearly in pain on a slippery Centre Court and sought treatment while 3-2 up in her first round match against unseeded Belarussian Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Williams returned after a lengthy break but the distress was evident. She grimaced and wiped away tears before preparing to serve at 3-3 after Sasnovich had pulled back from 3-1 down. The 39-year-old, who had started the match with strapping on her right thigh, then let out a shriek and sank kneeling to the grass sobbing, before being helped off the court with an apparent ankle injury. “Brutal for @serenawilliams but centre court is extremely slippy out there. Not easy to move out there,” Britain’s Andy Murray said on Twitter. Sasnovich, who practised her serve while Williams was getting treatment, commiserated with an opponent who had never gone out in the first round at Wimbledon in her previous 19 visits. “I’m so sad for Serena, she’s a great champion,” said the world number 100. “It happens sometimes.” Eight-times men’s singles champion Roger Federer expressed shock at Williams’ departure and voiced concern about the surface, with the roof closed on Centre Court on a rainy afternoon. Brutal for @serenawilliams but centre court is extremely slippy out there. Not easy to move out there.— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) June 29, 2021 His first-round opponent Adrian Mannarino of France also retired with a knee injury after a slip in the match immediately before Williams’. “I do feel it feels a tad more slippery maybe under the roof. I don’t know if it’s just a gut feeling. You do have to move very, very carefully out there. If you push too hard in the wrong moments, you do go down,” Federer said. “I feel for a lot of players, it’s super key to get through those first two rounds because the grass is more slippery, it is more soft. As the tournament progresses, usually it gets harder and easier to move on.” Williams has been a Wimbledon finalist in her last four appearances but her bid to equal Margaret Court’s record 24 Grand Slam singles titles has stalled since her last in Australia in 2017. With the absence this year of world number two Naomi Osaka and third-ranked Simona Halep, hopes were rising of another year to remember. “It was hard for me to watch that,” said compatriot Coco Gauff. “She’s the reason why I started to play tennis. It’s hard to watch any player get injured, but especially her.” More on this topic   Related Story Tennis: Barty goes through after wobble in emotional first round Wimbledon clash   Related Story Tennis: Kerber overcomes slow start to down Wimbledon debutant Stojanovic

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