S'porean aesthetic doctor, 40, gets 2 years' mandatory treatment order for abducting & threatening ex-girlfriend

A 40-year-old Singaporean aesthetic doctor was sentenced to 24 months of mandatory treatment order (MTO) on Sep. 4 for abducting and threatening a 33-year-old woman.

Chua Cheng Yu had previously pleaded guilty on Aug. 5 to four charges involving his former girlfriend.

According to court documents, he had committed the offences in 2023 when they were still in a relationship.

Assaulted, threatened and abducted ex-girlfriend

The pair first met in 2021 when the woman started working as a manager at Veritas Medical Aesthetics, where Chua practised.

They began dating in 2022, but their relationship was marred by frequent quarrels and breakups.

On Apr. 1, 2023, Chua forced his way into the woman's condominium after ringing her doorbell repeatedly and covering the peephole.

He shoved her backwards into a kitchen counter, threw items around, and later scuffled with her as she tried to stop him from leaving with her belongings.

During the altercation, he pushed her into a wall, causing her to hit her head.

Later that night, at the condominium car park, he pushed her chest, causing her to fall and injure her head and legs.

She was treated at Tan Tock Seng Hospital for a scalp haematoma, forearm contusion, multiple bruises and abrasions.

On May 25, 2023, Chua bombarded the woman with Telegram messages and even used a mobile game chat to threaten her.

In one message, he demanded that she pick up his calls and proceeded to threaten to share her nudes online.

He then sent a message saying that he would leak them.

Alarmed, the victim called the police.

Abducted her, later arrested

On Mar. 1, 2024, while out on bail for earlier offences, Chua confronted the victim outside her office at International Plaza.

He restrained her in a bear hug, dragged her into his car, and drove off.

When she tried to escape at a traffic junction by climbing out through his car window, he pulled her back inside.

Later, outside her condominium, she attempted to flee again but was caught and dragged along the ground.

A security guard and the woman's neighbour intervened.

The victim suffered a sternum fracture, head injuries, and multiple abrasions.

Chua was later arrested at Oasia Hotel Novena on Mar. 2.

Sentencing

A psychiatric report from the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) stated that Chua has suffered from major depressive disorder since April 2023, which may have impaired his judgment during the offences.

However, he was not of unsound mind during the abduction.

Chua was also found fit to plead to his charge.

He was later sentenced to 24 months of MTO on Sep. 4, reported CNA.

Prosecutors initially called for an MTO suitability report in lieu of jail if deemed appropriate.

An MTO is essentially a community-based sentence which instructs an offender suffering from certain treatable psychiatric conditions to undergo treatment for up to 36 months.

Top photos from court documents & Dr Chua Cheng Yu/Facebook