SINGAPORE, Oct 10 — Angry that her boyfriend had kept copies of his ex-girlfriend’s nude photos and was still in contact with her, Cadence Koh decided to post the lewd images on social media to shame her.
On Monday (Oct 10), Koh, now aged 19, pleaded guilty in a district court to one count of distributing an intimate image and another unrelated theft charge.
A judge called for a report to assess if she is suitable for probation, which is usually offered to first-time offenders between 16 and 21 years old.
This does not result in a recorded criminal conviction and allows young offenders to continue with their education or employment while serving their sentences.
Koh’s victim cannot be named due to a gag order to protect her identity.
The court heard that Koh’s boyfriend dated the victim for about four years till October 2020. On one occasion, he took a photo of her with her genitals exposed while they were in his car.
After the couple broke up, he began dating Koh in January 2021.
About three months later, Koh saw the image on her boyfriend’s mobile phone while he was scrolling through the photo gallery app.
Her boyfriend later sent the same photo to Koh over the WhatsApp messaging platform. Court documents did not give any reason for his actions.
Koh then ranted about her relationship problems to her female friend, expressing anger that her boyfriend kept intimate photos of his ex-girlfriend and remained in contact with her.
The two girls then decided to post the photos on Instagram, knowing it would humiliate the victim, Deputy Public Prosecutor Gavin Goh told the court.
After Koh’s friend created a publicly accessible Instagram account, Koh posted a video clip that included a close-up shot of the victim’s genitals. She also wrote the captions: “Is that a blueberry cheesecake”, “Pig trotter flower girl” and “I am Thai Girl, Come Hang Flower”.
The victim learned what happened when the images appeared on the Instagram feed of her current boyfriend. The post got six “likes” at that point.
The victim then lodged a police report.
Koh’s accomplice has been dealt with separately. She cannot be named because the Children and Young Persons Act bans the publication of identities of those who commit offences while aged below 18.
Separately, the two girls stole a box of chicken essence, among other things, from a Unity Pharmacy outlet in Marine Parade.
Koh has since made full restitution of S$266.95.
Those convicted of distributing intimate images and recordings can be jailed for up to five years, fined, caned, or punished with any combination of the three. Women cannot be caned under Singapore’s laws. — TODAY
