Man allegedly molests 3 women in 15 minutes at Orchard

SINGAPORE — Within just 15 minutes, a man allegedly molested three women and choked a fourth in Orchard Road on Aug 6, 2023.

On Jan 23, Joseph Mark Mervin, 48, was charged with three counts of molestation and one count of using criminal force on another person.

He is accused of starting his crime spree around 6.50pm when he allegedly molested an 18-year-old girl at a staircase in Lucky Plaza shopping centre.

He is accused of molesting a 44-year-old woman outside the same mall some five minutes later.

Joseph is said to have targeted his third alleged victim, a 20-year-old woman, at a zebra crossing near Lucky Plaza at around 7pm.

According to court documents, the Singaporean allegedly used his right hand to choke the woman and shoved her backwards.

He was at an underpass near Tangs department store at around 7.05pm when he allegedly molested a 28-year-old woman.

Joseph is expected to plead guilty on Feb 14.

For each count of molestation, an offender can be jailed for up to three years, fined, caned or receive any combination of such punishments.

And for using criminal force on another person, an offender can be jailed for three months and fined up to $1,500.

Joseph was one of multiple men who faced molestation charges on Jan 23.

In an unrelated case, Mia Md Sohag, 24, was in a corridor of a Tampines block of flats shortly before 5pm on April 18, 2023, when he allegedly molested a nine-year-old girl by stretching his hand through a window grille to touch her chest.

Separately, Selvaraja Robert, 67, is accused of molesting a 14-year-old girl in the Bugis area that month.

Three other men are accused of committing molestation within Marina Bay Sands in unrelated incidents.

Al Amin, 41, is said to have molested a 27-year-old woman at the Ce La Vi club at around 2.40am on Oct 12, 2023.

Jephthah Goh Poh Khang, 29, was at the Marquee Singapore nightclub shortly before 5.20am on Nov 25, 2023, when he allegedly molested a 25-year-old woman.

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And on Jan 1, 2024, July Izaak, 30, was at the Avenue Singapore lounge when he allegedly molested a 31-year-old woman.

Separately, Pooraneswaran Rajeeththan, 41, is accused of molesting a woman at around 11.45am on Feb 27, 2023. Details about the location of the alleged crime have been redacted from court documents.

Another man, Kher Rohit, 57, is said to have committed a similar offence at the traffic junction of River Valley Road and Nathan Road on Sept 1, 2023.

Ten days later, Ho Keng Sin, 55, allegedly molested a 31-year-old woman at a Kelantan Lane coffee shop near Jalan Besar.

On Oct 7, 2023, Yew Yap Hon, 38, was in a condominium apartment in Balestier Road when he allegedly molested a woman.

Chinnaiyan Abimanyu, 21, is accused of molesting a woman in Campbell Lane in Little India the following month.

All the accused are Singaporeans except for Yew, a Malaysian; Chinnaiyan, an Indian national; Pooraneswaran, a Sri Lankan; as well as Mia and Al Amin, who are Bangladeshis.

Their cases are pending.

The identities of the alleged victims cannot be disclosed due to gag orders to protect their identities.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.