A 72-year-old former violin teacher in Singapore was sentenced to nine months' jail on Jun. 30 for sexually assaulting a then nine-year-old girl during a violin lesson at his home.

The offender was 64-years-old at the time of the offence.

According to a report by Lianhe Zaobao, he pleaded guilty to one charge of outrage of modesty on Tuesday.

He cannot be named due to a gag order protecting the victim's identity.

The case

Citing court documents, Zaobao reported that in 2013, the victim's mother enrolled her daughter in violin lessons taught by the offender at a community club.

In 2016, the lessons were moved to the offender's home, where he conducted weekly one-on-one sessions comprising a 30-minute performance lesson and a 15-minute music theory lesson.

The victim's mother would drop her off before each lesson and pick her up afterwards.

The music theory lessons were conducted at the dining table in the living room.

During one of the theory lessons in 2018, the defendant had placed his hands on the victim's thighs and private area while she was answering questions, and sexually assaulted her over her clothing for about five minutes.

The victim, who was only nine then, did not understand the offender's actions at the time.

She only realised she had been sexually assaulted when she turned 12.

She later revealed what happened to her mother and a social worker in March 2025, and her mother subsequently lodged a police report.

The victim was later referred for counselling, but declined it due to the cost.

Abused his position as her teacher

According to Zaobao, to this day, the victim refuses to discuss the assault.

The prosecution argued that the offender had abused his position as the victim's violin teacher to commit the offence, betraying the trust the victim's parents placed in him.

It also pointed to the victim's young age at the time of the offence, and sought a jail term of between 10 and 11 months.

In mitigation, the offender's lawyer said his client had apologised to the victim about a week after the incident, before she confided in her mother and a police report was lodged.

While acknowledging that the apology could not undo the harm suffered by the victim, the lawyer argued that it demonstrated his client's remorse and urged the court to exercise leniency in sentencing.

Singaporean actress Fiona Xie recently appeared in a street interview series on TikTok, Tokyo Sims.

In a video by Tokyo Sims on Jul. 1, the host, Kole Sims, was seen interviewing the 44-year-old regarding her metallic corset top.

The video appears to have been filmed at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, rather than in the typical Tokyo Sims setting of Shibuya.

As of writing, the video has garnered over 369,800 views, 30,000 likes, and 85 comments.

'Be careful I give you diabetes'

Tokyo Sims is a channel that typically features street interviews, popular for its viral content and unfiltered confessions.

In the video, the 24-year-old Sims refers to Xie's metallic top and asks her: "Can I like knock on this?"

Xie said "yeah" and Sims said: "Damn, you have like body armour on."

Xie replied jokingly: "Thank you. It dispenses donuts as well, it's very special."

The two continued to exchange banter, with Sims saying: "You're sweet like that."

To which Xie responded: "Uh huh, be careful, I'll give you diabetes".

Sims then asked Xie: "What is the most awkward date that you've been on?"

And Xie responded, "the one right now".

Some comments noted her youthful appearance.

Xie was a Mediacorp actress from 2001 to 2009 and became known overseas for her portrayal of Kitty Pong in "Crazy Rich Asians"

In 2025, she opened up about a health scare, and emphasised the importance of having regular medical checkups.

@tokyo_sims♬ original sound - tokyo_sims

Singapore will purchase 67 Hellfire missiles from the U.S., as part of a US$22.3 (S$28.9) million package.

AGM-114R Hellfire missiles are a type of laser-guided, air-to-ground and anti-armour missile typically launched from Apache helicopters.

The U.S. Department of State wrote in a notification to Congress on Jun. 30 that it had approved the sale, which also includes other related elements like Hellfire spare parts, technical manuals and repair materials and services.

According to the website, the Singapore government had requested 24 additional missiles on top of a previously implemented Foreign Military Sales case worth US$12.4 million (S$16.1 million), which falls under a threshold that requires the State Department to notify Congress.

According to The Straits Times (ST), Singapore's threshold is set at US$14 million (S$18.1 million) or more.

The original case included personnel training, training equipment and technical and logistics support services.

"This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a strategic partner that is an important force for political stability and economic progress in Asia," the notification wrote.

It added that the sale will "improve Singapore's capability" to deal with threats by enhancing the Singapore Air Force's operations and efficiency.

The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) told ST that the weapons will support the Singapore Air Force's routine training and operational requirements.

The missiles will be equipped on the RSAF's multi-mission AH-64D Apache helicopters.

"Mindef and the Singapore Armed Forces take a strategic long-term view on our defence acquisitions to ensure that we make prudent and cost-effective decisions that best meet our defence needs, and maintain operational readiness," said Mindef.

A 56-year-old man was arrested for public nuisance after he was seen disrupting traffic and apparently throwing himself on the ground at Serangoon Central on Jul. 1, 2026.

Videos of the incident were posted on the "Singapore Incidents" Facebook page as well as on TikTok account "exclusiveshopper".

Disrupting traffic

Footage showed that the man was standing in different areas near a traffic light crossing.

Surrounded by two-lane roads in opposite directions, he then stretched out his arms to the front and side, appearing to block vehicles on the road.

The man did so while pedestrians had the right of way as the green man was flashing.

He continued to do so as the pedestrian lights turned red.

He also blocked a white van and, at one point, appeared to make contact with the front of the vehicle.

On the ground

Another part of the video showed that the man apparently threw himself on the ground.

He was then seen lying face down on the ground, and there appeared to be blood stains on his face as he got up.

Passers-by could be seen assisting him, and he was later seen sitting on the ground and surrounded by officers and other members of the public.

Arrested for public nuisance

Responding to Mothership's queries, the police said they received a call for assistance at Block 261 Serangoon Central Drive at about 9:40am on Jul. 1, 2026.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told Mothership that they were alerted at about 10:05am to the same incident.

A 56-year-old man sustained minor injuries and was conveyed conscious to Sengkang General Hospital by SCDF.

He was subsequently arrested for public nuisance, and police investigations are ongoing.

The coffeeshop co-owned by local actor-host Ben Yeo was hit by two break-ins, just 10 days apart from each other.

The coffeeshop, Tan Xiang Chai Chee, houses five stalls, three of which are operated by tenants.

The remaining two, a zi char stall and a drinks stall, are run by Yeo and his business partners.

What happened

Speaking to Mothership, Yeo said the break-ins took place in the early hours of Jun. 15 and 25.

During the first incident, the cai fan (economy rice) stall was burgled, with more than S$900 stolen. Yeo's own stalls were not affected.

Fortunately, nothing was stolen during the second break-in after the burglar failed to force open the same stall's newly upgraded safe.

CCTV footage from the first incident showed a man wearing a cap, face mask and gloves entering the coffeeshop through the back door of one of the stalls.

According to CNA, Yeo said the burglar forced open a locked metal cabinet housing the stall's safe during the first break-in.

When asked whether the same individual was responsible for both incidents, Yeo said he could not confirm this, and would leave the matter to the police to investigate.

"The local F&B business is tough. Please come as a customer and not otherwise," he said.

Yeo added that he and his partners would be enhancing the coffeeshop's security measures and remain more vigilant following the incidents.

The Singapore police have arrested one girl, 17, and four men, aged between 22 and 29, for their suspected involvement in a series of job scams involving fraudulently obtaining Singpass accounts.

Between March to May 2026, the police received 26 reports from victims who responded to job applications via Carousell, and were deceived into providing copies of their NRIC, changing their registered mobile phone numbers and email addresses of their Singpass accounts.

This action allowed the scammers to take over control of the victims' Singpass accounts.

They used the fraudulently obtained Singpass accounts to apply for accounts with financial institutions or for mobile phone services with telecommunication service providers.

These applications were made without the victims' knowledge.

However, control of the Singpass accounts was returned to the victims on the same day.

Arrested a few months later

Officers from the Anti-Scam Command and Police Intelligence Department arrested the five persons involved on Jul. 1, 2026.

Preliminary investigations revealed that they had conspired with a scam syndicate based overseas to procure accounts with financial institutions in Singapore.

They were coached to deceive victims into relinquishing access and control of their Singpass accounts under the guise of a job application.

To be charged

The four men, aged between 22 and 29, will be charged in court on Jul. 2 with the offence of obtaining any credential of another person under the Computer Misuse Act 1993.

The offence carries a jail term of up to three years or a fine not exceeding S$10,000, or both.

Investigations against the 17-year-old female teenager is ongoing.

Advisory

The police said they take a serious stance against any person who may be involved in scams, and perpetrators will be dealt with in accordance with the law.

Scammers and members or recruiters of scam syndicates will face mandatory caning of at least six strokes, which can go up to 24 strokes.

Under the Facility Restriction Framework, individuals involved in mule-related offences – whether they are under investigation and assessed to be at risk, or have been warned, issued with composition sums, prosecuted, or convicted – may face restrictions on banking services and mobile line subscriptions to prevent further facilitation of scams.

Anyone with information on such scams may call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has removed 186 bicycles and other devices from bicycle parking areas in Yishun, Paya Lebar, Sengkang and other areas since January 2026.

It said in a Jun. 29 Facebook post that it is stepping up checks on indiscriminate bicycle parking and abandoned bicycles around key transport nodes to better manage bicycle parking facilities and free up space for other users.

Its enforcement team will continue to conduct regular checks to manage indiscriminate parking and abandoned bicycles, LTA said.

"Such bicycles will be tagged with a notice, and may be impounded if not removed within the stipulated period," it added.

"With the expanding cycling path network, we’ll also review and expand bicycle parking at key transport nodes to ensure that facilities are sufficient and well-designed to support cyclists' needs."

LTA advised users to park their bicycles responsibly in designated bicycle parking facilities to avoid obstructing pedestrian flow and access to shared public spaces.

A 40-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced to five years, seven months and two weeks’ jail and three strokes of the cane after posing as a female agent to receive sexual services.

His victims comprised multiple women, including a 15-year-old, a 19-year-old, and a 22-year-old.

Loh Guang Ze was sentenced on Jun. 30 and pleaded guilty to five out of 10 charges, which include cheating a teenager into providing him sexual services, sexual penetration of a minor and voyeurism.

The other charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

Locanto

In court documents seen by Mothership, Loh lost attraction to his wife after he saw the birth of their children and came up with a scheme to attain sexual services on Locanto.

Locanto is an online classifieds platform that allows users to list their products, services, and jobs for sale.

He would pose as a female agent on the platform and place a listing for females looking to earn fast cash, ranging from S$3,000 to S$5,000.

Interested persons could contact him for more details.

Loh adopted the persona of an agent “Sherry”, who contacted the victims and informed them about a “sugar daddy” or sexual services arrangement that “Sherry” could help to facilitate.

Victims would then send photos of themselves to Loh, and he would proceed with the females he was attracted to.

Loh received queries from about 30 females and successfully arranged to meet up with nine of them to obtain sexual services.

Blindfold

Within a week of the victims contacting him, Loh would inform each victim that “Sherry” had a “customer” interested in her services.

Loh would tell the victim that the “customer” had asked her to put on a blindfold and was required to show up at the meeting place with it on.

He explained that it was the kink of the "customer", or that this was done for the protection of his identity.

However, this was done to ensure the victims could not identify Loh.

The victims agreed to provide sexual services, which included sexual intercourse, to Loh, who was the “customer”.

They were not allowed to remove their blindfold until Loh left the premises.

Loh would subsequently ignore the victims’ request for payment and block them on messaging applications.

He never intended to pay them for their services.

19-year-old

One of the victims, a 19-year-old at the time of the offence, came across Loh’s advertisement on Locanto and provided her handphone number.

She then received a WhatsApp message from “Sherry”.

At “Sherry”’s request, the victim sent the accused photos of her face and body.

The victim agreed to have sexual intercourse and oral sex with the “customer” in exchange for S$5,000.

On Jan. 1, 2021, the victim headed to a hotel in Chinatown and met up with Loh.

Both of them showered together and had sexual intercourse, while the victim had her blindfold on throughout.

Loh used his phone to record three videos depicting the sexual acts without the victim’s consent.

After they finished, Loh told the victim that he would arrange another session and would pay for both sessions.

However, the second session did not occur, and she was not paid.

22-year-old

A victim, a 22-year-old at the time of the offence, came across Loh’s advertisement and chatted with “Sherry” via Telegram.

Loh told her that she would receive S$5,000 if she had sexual intercourse without a condom with the “customer”.

On Jul. 31, 2021, the victim met Loh at a hotel located at Trengganu Street in an eye mask, as per the instructions.

They engaged in oral sex and sexual intercourse.

Both of them also engaged in another session on Aug. 16, 2021, at an unknown hotel.

Loh recorded the sex acts on both occasions without her consent.

He recorded a total of three videos.

Following this, Loh told the victim that he wanted this relationship with her to be long-term, and he could deal directly and pay her via fund transfer.

When the victim asked “Sherry” for payment, Loh dodged her requests and became unresponsive before blocking her.

15-year-old

A victim, a 15-year-old at the time of the offence, came across Loh’s advertisement and chatted with “Sherry” via an online messaging service.

Loh told her that she would receive S$5,000 if she provided sexual services.

Before meeting, the victim told “Sherry” that she did not want to perform oral sex and did not allow the “customer” to perform an act that could impregnate her.

They both agreed that she would provide three separate sessions of sexual services.

On Aug. 4 2021, the victim met with Loh in her secondary school uniform and a sleeping mask, as per the instructions, in a handicap toilet in Chua Chu Kang.

Loh then requested the victim to perform oral sex, which she reluctantly did.

He also recorded the sex act without her consent.

Following the encounter, the victim contacted “Sherry” to enquire about payment, to which “Sherry” replied that the victim did not meet the requirement of the three sessions.

She then informed “Sherry” that she did not wish to continue with the remaining sessions, as the “customer” did not respect her wishes.

“Sherry” asked the victim several times to continue the agreement with the “customer”, but the victim refused to do so.

Tip

Sometime before July 2023, the police received an anonymous tip from a female stating that an agent on Locanto had cheated her.

She had provided her sexual services to a client, but was not paid after that.

The agent had reportedly given her excuses when she enquired about payment and later blocked her on Locanto.

Loh was arrested on Jul. 3, 2023.

Deplorable

The prosecution sought a sentence of 68 to 75 months’ jail and three strokes of the cane.

They argued that Loh “took great pains to conceal his identity”, including the use of “Sherry” and instructing the victims to wear a blindfold.

They also argued that he had reason to believe that the youngest victim stated was under 16 years old, as she wore her secondary school uniform to meet him.

The prosecution described Loh’s actions as “deplorable”, citing that Loh had “opportunistically taken advantage of multiple young victims, one of whom was only 15 at the time of the offence”.

“A strong deterrent signal must be sent to the accused and all other like-minded persons who would think to commit similar offences,” the prosecution said.

Two men, aged 18 and 39, were arrested for their suspected involvement in a case of loan shark harassment.

On Jun. 28, at about 8:19am, the police were alerted to a case of loan shark harassment at a residential unit along Senja Road.

The unit’s gate was secured with a bicycle lock and a debtor’s note had been affixed to the door.

The note read: “Like to play right no problem! Will play with you! This time just desert, Next time splash u and your neighbour. Whatsapp to settle.”

With the aid of police cameras, officers from Jurong Police Division established both men’s identities.

They were subsequently arrested on Jun. 29 and Jun. 30, respectively.

Preliminary investigations suggest they are involved in other similar cases of loan shark harassment islandwide.

Both men were charged on Jul. 1 under the Moneylenders Act 2008.

First-time offenders are liable to a fine between S$5,000 and S$50,000 with a jail term of up to five years, and caning of up to six strokes.

The police said it has zero tolerance for loan shark harassment, and those who deliberately vandalise properties, cause annoyance and disrupt public safety, peace and security will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law.

Members of the public are advised to stay away from loan sharks and not to work with or assist them in any way.

The public can call the police at "999" if they suspect or know anyone who could be involved in loan-sharking activities.

The former chief of air force was fined S$5,000 and disqualified from driving for five years for driving negligently and colliding with a 44-year-old Indonesian domestic helper pushing a two-year-old boy in a stroller.

Goh Yong Siang, 74, pleaded guilty on Jul. 1 to one of two charges, driving without reasonable consideration, causing grievous hurt, The Straits Times reported.

The other charge, which involved driving without reasonable consideration, causing hurt to the boy, was taken into consideration during sentencing.

Footage

The incident occurred on May 17, 2024.

Goh had failed to keep a proper lookout when he made a right turn at a pedestrian crossing along Pasir Panjang Road towards Telok Blangah Road, at the junction with Harbour Drive.

In dashcam footage from Goh’s car played in court, the domestic helper was reportedly thrown into the air upon impact and landed on the ground.

Her face was bleeding, and the car's windscreen was cracked as a result of the collision.

Both the domestic helper and the boy were conveyed to the National University Hospital.

She reportedly sustained multiple injuries, including a deep facial laceration, a ligament tear and a knee contusion.

The domestic helper was given 42 days of hospitalisation leave.

The boy’s parents declined medical leave on his behalf.

Both of them were apparently crossing the road when the green man signal was on.

The prosecution sought a fine between S$4,000 and S$5,000, noting that while the woman suffered grievous hurt, she is unlikely to suffer any permanent disability.