German man, 38, on trial for allegedly biting then-girlfriend's pinky finger in 2024 assault at Katong condo

A 38-year-old German national allegedly assaulted a woman at a condominium in the Katong area in 2024, after which she was hospitalised for a fractured finger.

The accused, Bonkatz Philipp, chose to claim trial and is contesting three charges.

He appeared at the State Courts on Nov. 3, 2026.

The victim identified Philipp as her ex-boyfriend.

The court heard from her about when they met and the circumstances where the alleged offences took place.

Offences

An earlier report mentioned that his offences include allegedly picking the woman up by her crotch and jaw to throw her, as well as biting her finger.

Philipp, who was 36 years old at the time, is alleged to have committed the offences between January and March 2024.

He was charged on Sep. 9, 2024, with two counts of voluntarily causing grievous hurt, one count of voluntarily causing hurt and one count of wrongful confinement.

Whether to plead guilty

On Nov. 3, 2026, Philipp was represented by I.R.B. LAW LLP, with District Judge Shen Wanqin presiding over the trial.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Teng Yin Hang told the court that the complainant, his ex-girlfriend, had prepared a document of over 100 pages of recorded calls between Philipp and herself.

The defence indicated that Philipp would be claiming trial.

Court adjourned at about 9:50am for the prosecution and defence to discuss the document.

The trial resumed shortly after 3pm.

The DPP told the court that the parties had an extensive discussion, noting that the defence could give their position on a fresh offer to plead guilty by 4:30pm.

The defence stated that its lead counsel was taking instruction from Philipp as well as speaking to him regarding the consequences if he decided to plead guilty as he was deciding whether to do so.

The DPP also told the court that the prosecution was prepared to call its witness at 4:30pm.

Court adjourned at about 3:12pm.

Prosecution called witness

The trial then resumed at 4:30pm after both parties confirmed the trial would proceed.

The prosecution called Philipp's ex-girlfriend to the stand as its first witness.

A folding panel in front of the dock separated them, a shielding measure that the court implemented as the woman was afraid of Philipp, the prosecution said.

She testified that the pair first met in March or April 2023, after which she said the "relationship happened very quickly".

At the time, she was living with her parents in a different location and was looking to rent a place of her own, when Philipp suggested she moved in with him.

The woman then moved into his apartment in October 2023, and changed her address to reflect that in the same month.

She added that she did not pay rent, but at times would get groceries as well as clean and decorate the apartment.

The woman said she thought her relationship with Philipp was "almost perfect" before he hit her, as "he appeared to be very kind, very gentlemanly and he had a lot of social friends".

She noted, however, that "after December I quickly realised a lot of it was just a facade".

"He could pretend to be whoever you wanted him to be... but behind closed doors, I realised he was incredibly demeaning and violent..."

"I found that out the hard way," she added.

Allegedly started to be violent

The court heard that Philipp allegedly started being violent with her in December 2023.

According to the woman, this alleged behaviour took place in Tahiti, New Zealand and Australia.

The pair then went for couple's therapy, the woman said, adding that she would then spend a few days at her parents' place and a few days at the shared apartment with Philipp.

Hospitalised

On one occasion, she was hospitalised after he allegedly grabbed her by her hair and lifted her up about 42cm off the ground which the woman said is their height difference.

The court heard that Philipp is over 2m tall.

The woman, who is 1.59m tall, alleged that he also bit her pinky finger, resulting in an open fracture.

This took place at about 3am on Mar. 2, 2024, at the pair's shared apartment, the court heard.

At the time, the woman was in the process of shifting out of the apartment in phases as half her things were there and the other half was at her parents' house.

She began to do so after an incident on Jan. 12, 2024, she testified.

Picked woman up by crotch and jaw

At about 11am that day, Philipp allegedly kicked and punched the victim multiple times at various parts of the body, according to charge sheets seen by Mothership.

On another occasion on Mar. 2, 2024, at around 3am, he allegedly pushed and kicked the woman again.

This also included pulling her hair and picking her up by the crotch and jaw before throwing her on the ground.

On the same day, he also allegedly bit the victim's last finger on her left hand, resulting in a fracture.

He then allegedly locked her out on the balcony of the condo as well.

Mar. 2, 2024

On Nov. 3, 2026, the woman testified that at about 2am on Mar. 2, 2024, she was working on her laptop at Philipp's house as she was staying over that day.

The balcony door was supposedly open, with papers on the dry kitchen where she was working.

When Philipp returned sometime between 2am and 3am that day, he apparently asked her what the papers were doing on the floor.

He then allegedly picked up a piece of paper and threw it at her while she was still typing on her laptop.

She then apparently picked up another piece of paper and threw it back at him as she was upset by his actions, the court heard.

The woman alleged that Philipp then walked towards her while she was still sitting on a high seat, where she stood up as she was startled.

She claimed that he put his hands on her and pushed her so she fell down in the kitchen.

Bit finger, pulled hair

The woman alleged that after Philipp pushed her, he grabbed a soft drink from the refrigerator nearby and began drinking.

Angered by him pushing her, she used an expletive and asked him how he could do that, and pushed him in his torso area, the court heard.

Philipp then allegedly grabbed her by the hair and lifted her off the ground.

The woman then asked him to let go and used her hands to grab his "man bun", after which the pair fell to the ground while they struggled.

Court proceedings were interrupted while she was giving evidence as Philipp was seen using his phone in the dock.

Responding to the district judge's question on whether he had recorded anything from the hearing, Philipp answered that he was typing messages, after which she told him not to use his phone during the hearing.

The hearing then continued.

Noting that she was hanging in midair for what felt like "a very long time", the woman recalled being in a lot of pain and terror.

Given that he was supposed to be her partner at the time, she said she was "feeling very distraught... because of the romantic expectations that a partner should protect and love you and not abuse you".

In the struggle, she said Philipp bit her pinky finger.

Next hearing, penalties

Philipp was out on S$15,000 bail, The Straits Times previously reported.

His hearing, which was adjourned at about 5:52pm on Nov. 3, 2026, will resume on Nov. 4, 2026, where the woman is expected to continue giving evidence in court.

If found guilty of voluntarily causing hurt, Philipp can face imprisonment for up to three years, or a fine up to S$5,000, or both.

For voluntarily causing grievous hurt, he can be jailed for up to 10 years, and can also be fined or caned.

For wrongful confinement, he can be jailed for up to three years, fined or both.