I'll treat you to a meal, judge
Nervous & unprepared, teen who was convicted of vandalism & harassment, wins appeal without lawyer

By Celine Lim
December 14, 2007

THE pale, bespectacled girl sat in the dock quietly. She was waiting for her moment.


Picture: Kelvin Chng

Once court started, Ms Wong Shan Shan pleaded her case energetically.

Yesterday, the 19-year-old student represented herself in the High Court, appealing against her sentence for vandalism and intentional harassment.

Her aim was to quash her criminal record so that she can achieve her dream of becoming a police officer.

Despite being nervous and not doing 'any homework' to prepare for her day in court, Ms Wong showed determination in getting her points across.

At one point, she even promised to treat the judge to a meal after she fulfils her dream.

ABUSIVE
The O-level holder was sentenced to two months' jail on 9 Nov on each of two counts of vandalism, to be served concurrently.

She was also fined $1,000, or one week's jail in default, on each of two counts of intentional harassment.

Eight other charges of vandalism were taken into consideration.

Ms Wong had spray-painted and written abusive messages on the walls of her Jurong West HDB block in July.

Her target was a family living in the same block with whom her sister had a dispute in 2003.
Not only did Ms Wong vandalise the walls on the floor where the family lived, she even scrawled the slurs on the floor where she lived.

Altogether, she had spray-painted the walls, gates and doors of units from the second to the 10th storeys.

She also sent 39 abusive SMSes to her neighbours' handphones in June.

Yesterday, Ms Wong was taken to court from the Changi Women's Prison where she had already served 33 days of her sentence.

Speaking through a translator at first, she asked to be put on probation.

Addressing Justice Lee Seiu Kin, she said in Cantonese: 'My ambition is to become a policewoman, so I beg Your Honour not to send me to jail.

'I've heard from others that if I have a criminal record, I can't be a police officer.'

She later told The New Paper that she 'didn't do any homework' to prepare for the appeal.

'I just pleaded with the judge. After all, I'm a xiao mei mei (Mandarin for little girl),' she added.

Ms Wong said she had been 'nervous and scared' when speaking in court as she was not used to speaking in front of so many people.

'But I had confidence in what I wanted to say.'

The judge granted her appeal, but what Ms Wong did not realise was that appealing against her sentence would not erase her criminal record.

However, if she does not break the law for the next five years, it will be erased.

When asked why she had committed the offences, Ms Wong said she has 'mental problems' and 'hears voices'.

She told the court that she was diagnosed with schizophrenia by a doctor from the National University Hospital last year.

But she did not go for follow-up treatment as she 'didn't want to be labelled mad'.

The Institute of Mental Health (IMH) psychiatrist stated in his report that Ms Wong was of sound mind and fit to plead.

However, the report noted that she may have early paranoid psychosis or a paranoid personality.

Ms Wong also told the court that she had been living alone and fending for herself since she was 13.

She said her family, who were from Hong Kong but are now citizens here, would send her cheques for her school fees.

She then repeated her request to be put on probation.

Ms Wong said: 'When I become a police officer, I'll come back to see Your Honour in my uniform.

'I'll ask if you can remember a 19-year-old girl who pleaded with you. Please grant me probation, I'll be obedient.'

VENOMOUS
Objecting to probation, DPP Leong said the vandalism by Ms Wong was 'very extensive' and contained 'expressions of venom'.

He noted that probation may not be suitable for her as she lives alone and lacks family support to ensure that she goes for psychiatric treatment.

In response, Ms Wong promised to show Justice Lee her attendance card to prove that she would go for follow-up treatment at IMH.

Again, she pleaded with the judge to forgive her.

Switching to English, she cited two cases where young offenders were given probation instead of jail time.

One involved a 19-year-old girl who had produced counterfeit dollar bills and used them to pay her taxi fare.

The other involved a 17-year-old boy who made racist remarks on his blog about the Muslim community.

'Please give me probation. Give me a chance to serve the Punjabi community,' she said, referring to her neighbours' ethnic background.

Speaking to The New Paper, MrRanjit Singh, whose family MsWong had harassed, said they had tolerated her for a few years.

The owner of a security firm, 54, said: 'We've nothing to say about her release. Let bygones be bygones.'

In the end, Justice Lee decided that MsWong's sentence was 'manifestly excessive'.

He ordered that her sentence be reduced so that she would be released from prison yesterday.

When Ms Wong realised her appeal had been successful, she said: 'When I become a police officer, I'll come look for you and treat you (to a meal).

'Thanks so much.'

In the dock, she raised both hands and signalled 'V' for victory. - Additional reporting by Shree Ann Mathavan

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'When I become a police officer, I'll come back to see Your Honour in my uniform. I'll ask if you can remember a 19-year-old girl who pleaded with you.'
- Ms Wong, asking for probation

'When I become a police officer, I'll come look for you and treat you (to a meal). Thanks so much.'
- Ms Wong, when she realises her appeal has been successful

'Don't commit further offences. In... five years, your criminal record will be spent.'
- Justice Lee to Ms Wong

'Please give me probation. Give me a chance to serve the Punjabi community.'
- Ms Wong, referring to her neighbours' ethnic background

Dad didn't know she won appeal

By Celine Lim
December 14, 2007

NO one from Ms Wong Shan Shan's family turned up in court yesterday.

They had no idea that her appeal was successful and that she would walk free at 6pm.

Her father, 63, was in disbelief when The New Paper informed him a few hours before her release from prison.

The retired businessman then called the Changi Women's Prison and the High Court frantically for confirmation.

He said: 'I'd told her not to appeal at first, but she told me it would be okay. She was quite confident.'

Mr Wong was visibly pleased and relieved at his daughter's early release.

He said she had been preparing to go to the US for university before she was arrested in July.

He said: 'My daughter's grades were not bad, she could go to polytechnic. It's not too late for her to go to the US. Her older brother will send her there to study.'

Mr Wong said his two sons and one other daughter were university graduates.

He said: 'Shan Shan is my youngest and the most beloved. Her going to jail is the biggest blow my family has had. It's also a blow to her psychologically.'

Mr Wong said he thought his daughter would just be fined as he did not think it was a serious offence.

He said: 'If we didn't buy this place, none of this would have happened.

'And it was expensive too. Only four units were occupied when we moved in because of the price.'

But Mr Wong said he had bought the executive five-room flat for his daughter. He said: 'The Jurong West flat will be her dowry. My son got a Redhill flat, another son got a Boon Lay flat and we have properties in China.'

Did he know about his daughter's ambition to become a police officer?

He said he had not heard about it from her. But Mr Wong, who's a former military police officer in China, said it would be in keeping with the family tradition. He said his father had been a high-ranking officer in the army and his wife was a military nurse.