A 44-year-old man has been sentenced to five weeks’ jail after sexually harassing a female nurse who was assisting him at a public hospital in Singapore.
Charles Teng Wei Yian was convicted on Jan. 30 of insulting the modesty of the 26-year-old nurse through his words and actions while receiving inpatient treatment.
According to court documents, Teng was hospitalised from Sep. 10 to Sep. 23, 2024, for liver inflammation and had a urine bag surgically attached. He had been instructed to seek assistance from nurses when using the toilet or shower.
On Sep. 15, Teng pressed the call bell and requested help to shower. The nurse offered to arrange for a male nurse, but Teng insisted on her assistance and asked her to follow him into the toilet.
Once inside, Teng made inappropriate remarks, asking her to help with his “personal needs,” which he later admitted referred to a sexual act. He subsequently removed his clothes, exposed himself, and asked her to scrub his back.
Although distressed and uncomfortable, the nurse felt obligated by her professional duty to assist him with the shower before helping him back to his bed. Teng also asked personal questions and suggested that the incident be kept secret.
The nurse later reported the matter to the police on Sep. 19.
In court, the prosecution highlighted the vulnerability of nurses who regularly assist patients with intimate care, stressing the strong public interest in deterring such misconduct.
