S'pore man, 24, fined S$3,500 for punching & kicking pregnant girlfriend's abdomen, now engaged

He pleaded guilty to one count of voluntarily causing hurt.

Syahindah Ishak | October 26, 2021, 08:00 PM

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Shawn Tan Jia Jun, a 24-year-old man in Singapore, was fined S$3,500 on Monday (Oct .25) for punching and kicking his pregnant girlfriend.

Tan had pleaded guilty to one count of voluntarily causing hurt.

Found out girlfriend was pregnant

According to court documents seen by Mothership, Tan and the victim, who was his girlfriend then, visited SBCC Women’s Clinic on July 10, 2020 so that the victim could take a pregnancy test.

It was found that the victim was about nine weeks' pregnant.

The clinic doctor had asked the victim if she wanted to continue with her pregnancy or opt for an abortion.

The doctor also told her that if she wanted an abortion, she should decide by July 17, 2020 as there would be a "further risk of medical complications" if she decided to do so any later.

Argued about the pregnancy

On July 14, 2020, the victim visited Tan's home and stayed overnight with him in his bedroom.

The next afternoon, the couple got into a dispute whilst discussing what to do about the victim's pregnancy.

Court documents stated that both of them shouted at each other as the argument grew heated.

Physically assaulted the victim

In the midst of the dispute, Tan pushed the victim onto the bed.

He then punched and kicked her abdominal area multiple times, and punched her face.

Tan's mother, who was in the house at the time, heard the commotion and stopped the dispute.

The victim subsequently called her friend to accompany her out of Tan's home.

Victim's injuries

The victim sought treatment at National University Hospital (NUH) on the same day.

She was diagnosed with a right facial contusion with possible underlying maxillary bone fracture and multiple superficial injuries.

According to court documents, the victim also suffered the following injuries:

  • Right and left-sided redness over the face associated with right-sided inferior orbital and maxillary bony tenderness on palpitation
  • Anterior chest redness with no significant bruising or deformity
  • Mild tenderness over the midline of the thoracic (upper) spine
  • Grab marks over the right arm with dark red bruises seen over the dorsum of the right hand
  • Multiple red bruises seen over the left arm, dorsum of the left hand, bilateral knees and bilateral skins

The victim, however, was discharged as an outpatient and was given a one-day medical leave.

A bedside ultrasound was also performed on her and it was found that the foetus had an active heartbeat.

Later that day, the victim lodged a police report against Tan for physically assaulting her.

Baby was aborted and the couple are getting married

According to Today, the victim has aborted the baby after the incident.

She and Tan have also gotten back together. They will be getting married later this year.

The prosecution had sought for at least two weeks’ jail for Tan.

But CNA reported that Tan's lawyer had asked for a fine instead. He argued that the victim suffered minor injuries and that the duration of the altercation was short.

The judge said that victim's intention to marry Tan is "the most obvious form of forgiveness", as reported by CNA.

The judge also noted that this was Tan's first offence.

She said, according to CNA:

"It's a domestic dispute, yes, but it's probably over the pregnancy in which a decision had to be made in a very short period of time.

What stands out to me is the victim did probably accept that he did not intentionally harm her in the vicious sense ... it arose spontaneously out of the dispute."

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