A 34-year-old Chinese woman, Hong Xiaobing, was working as a researcher at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) when she developed feelings for a 29-year-old software developer-analyst obtaining his PhD degree at NTU after he assisted her on a research project.

However, Hong's affect was unrequited, as the man rejected her advances and decided to block all electronic communications with her in February 2021 after growing uncomfortable with her sending him long messages expressing her feelings repeatedly.

Unwavered by the setback, Hong continued attempting to communicate with the man and find him in person, which eventually led him applying for a protection order against her.

On Oct. 25, 2023, more than two years after he blocked Hong's attempts to make contact, the man obtained a protection order against her under the Protection From Harassment Act 2014 (POHA).

The order, amongst others, prohibits Hong from stalking him, making any communication or attempting to make any communication with him, and entering or loitering in any place outside or near his workplace.

Sent 116 emails to man despite protection order

However, the protection order did not deter Hong from making advances, as she continued sending emails asking to see him and talk to him in person.

According to court documents seen by Mothership, between Oct. 25, 2023, and Dec. 12, 2023, Hong sent a total of 116 emails to the man.

On Dec. 7, 2023, she also visited the man's workplace in One-North and approached the counter staff at the building lobby, requesting to see him.

She did not manage to meet the man, as he was not present at his workplace at the time.

Man alerted police after Hong visited workplace again

Hong made a return to the man's workplace in One-North five days later on Dec. 12, 2023 and requested to see him again after approaching the counter staff.

While the man was not present at his workplace, he made a police report on that day stating that Hong had refused to abide by the terms of the protection order.

He added that Hong's actions were making him "extremely stressed".

When the police questioned Hong on Dec. 18, 2023, she admitted to stalking the man and promised to adhere to the conditions of the protection order and cease all communications with him.

Hong also visited man's workplace in NTU

However, just two weeks later, Hong backtracked on her words and visited the man's workplace at NTU again at around 3pm on Jan. 3, 2024.

This time, the man was working in the school lab of the NTU Computer Science Department as part of his research, and he had alerted the police earlier that day at around 1:28pm that Hong was at his workplace and that he possessed a valid protection order against her.

After entering the man's workplace and seeking to visit his office to speak to him, Hong saw him through the window as she approached his office.

Upon noting her presence, the man exited his office to inform Hong that he would be calling the police.

Hong subsequently left NTU without saying a word to him.

Fined S$8,000

Hong was fined S$8,000 on Aug. 21 after she pleaded guilty to two charges under the POHA, namely unlawful stalking and contravening a protection order, reported The Straits Times.

A third charge of contravening a protection order was also taken into consideration for her sentencing.

For every count of unlawful stalking, Hong could have been jailed for up to 12 months, fined up to S$5,000, or both.

For every count of contravening a protection order, she could have been jailed for up to six months, fined up to S$5,000, or both.

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