SINGAPORE, July 20 — A recalcitrant offender who began his life of crime over 30 years ago was sentenced to seven years’ preventive detention yesterday.

Tang Hian Leng, 47, pleaded guilty in April to four charges of criminal breach of trust, punching a man in the face several times, pretending to be a police officer to cheat S$100 (RM294.87) from a sex worker, and verbally abusing another officer while in remand.

Three other charges of criminal trespass and cheating were taken into consideration for sentencing.

Tang, who had his first run in with the law when he was 15 years old, will not be eligible for early release because of good behaviour, unlike other offenders sentenced to jail terms.

The former cashier was previously given five years’ corrective training in 1998 for house trespass, lurking and theft, as well as 12 years’ preventive detention in 2004 for robbery with the attempt to cause death or grievous hurt.

The court heard that Tang reoffended shortly after being released from his last preventive detention stint.

While working at a minimart at Bukit Batok Street 51, he stole a total of S$4,154.10 from the shop cash register and safe box during off-duty hours over the course of nine days in July 2017. He has not made any restitution.

Tang’s employer had discovered the thefts on July 20, after his supplier called at about 2.30pm to tell him the shop was closed. The shop usually opens from 12pm to 9pm.

After heading to the shop to check the closed-circuit TV, his employer noticed that the CCTV and cash register were switched off, and cash was missing from the register.

CCTV footage subsequently revealed that Tang had returned to the shop at about 2am that morning, went to the cashier counter, and switched off the CCTV.

About a month later, Tang got into a fight with Liaw Kim Leong, 36.

Liaw told the police that Tang had been harassing his close female friend Helen, a masseur working in a spa, even though she had turned him down.

However, Tang claimed that Helen was his girlfriend and suspected her of two-timing him with Liaw. He then called Liaw to meet him at a Bukit Batok coffee shop, and brought his friend Parthiban Rama Chandran, 29.

During the meeting at about midnight on Aug 15, Tang began throwing punches at Liaw’s face, while Parthiban kicked him in the ribs. Police officers broke up the fight.

Tang was arrested and released on bail, but proceeded to commit further offences.

On Oct 21, he met a Chinese national in Choa Chu Kang who had advertised her sexual services online. He paid her S$100, and the pair had sex.

Tang then lied that he was a police officer and was there to investigate the house owner for prostituting offences. He said the S$100 he had given her was government money to be used as evidence, and asked her to return it, which she did.

Later that day, he asked the victim for sex again. She agreed as she thought he was a police officer and would take action against her if she did not comply.

After he left, the victim, whose suspicions were aroused by then, lodged a police report. Tang was subsequently remanded in Changi Prison.

On Jan 19 this year, Station Inspector Sivanthan Thirupathi visited him to record his statement and serve charges to him.

Tang started to get agitated in the interview room, and shouted at Station Inspector Sivanthan. When the officer advised him to calm down, Tang refused and hurled Hokkien obscenities at him.

During sentencing, District Judge Ow Yong Tuck Leong called Tang a recalcitrant offender who "still demonstrates blatant disregard for the law”. Tang had been convicted of a string of offences in the past, including voluntarily causing hurt, outrage of modesty, housebreaking, and snatch theft.

He was also found to be in stable mental condition by a psychiatrist, and had no major illnesses.

While being escorted out by police officers, he shouted at Ow several times in Mandarin in an agitated manner: "You did not give me a chance.” — TODAY