Man found hanged in Boat Quay gay sex club

SINGAPORE - From the outside, the club at 17 Upper Circular Road, near Boat Quay, would not attract many second glances.

With its sedate colour palette of grey and brown, embellished only by its name, Club One Seven, on the door, it might be considered a classy establishment.

But what apparently goes on inside is an entirely different matter.

In the words of police investigation officer Siaw Kah Swee, "Club One Seven is a two-storey sleazy gay pub meant only for registered patrons".

Station Inspector Siaw said the lower level had a spa and a cafe while the upper level had common shower facilities and a myriad of small rooms.

Many of the rooms have all-around mirrors, a single mattress, a toilet paper dispenser and a holder for lubricant and condoms. Several had "themed" furnishings, with erotic apparel for "Bondage, Discipline, Sadism and Masochism" (BDSM) practices, he said.

And it was in one of them, room No 5, that a 49-year-old man was found dead, hanging from a metal chain, on Nov 19 last year. He was naked.

Mr Siaw's findings on the club was part of his investigation report for the Coroner's Inquiry on Tuesday on Mr Yeo Hung Song's death.

Closed-circuit television footage from a neighbouring law firm showed Mr Yeo arriving at the club alone on a motorcycle at around 2.30pm.

At about 9.35pm, two cleaners knocked on the door of room No 5 but got no response.

They managed to unlatch the door catch with a metal bar from an opening above and entered the pitch-black room with the help of an iPhone flashlight.

They then saw a naked body hanging from a metal chain around its neck. The chain was part of a group of four hanging from the top corners of a rectangular metal frame.

There were no signs of struggle or any other visible injury on him. A locker key belonging to Mr Yeo was strapped to his right upper arm. A soiled towel stained with his semen lay nearby.

A bottle of "Rush Ultra Strong", a sex-enhancing liquid incense, was on top of a short saddle-bench.

The staff then called the police.

It is believed that no one else was in the room when Mr Yeo died as it was locked from the inside. The lock on the door had not been tampered with.

On Wednesday, his death was ruled to be caused by hanging.

Autoerotic asphyxiation?

State Coroner Imran Abdul Hamid said that it could be the result of autoerotic asphyxiation.

This meant he had been restricting his breathing to become sexually aroused.

An autopsy revealed that a small amount of substance, usually used to treat insomnia, was found in his blood, but it did not have any bearing on Mr Yeo's death.

Investigations also suggested he could have been suffering from depression and had committed suicide.

As there was no suicide note, the reason for his death will remain a mystery.

The director of the club, Mr Schwartz Harvey Morton, 78, told investigators that Mr Yeo had been a member since 2011 and was a frequent visitor.

Five men who have been to Club One Seven told The New Paper on Wednesday said it was a "cruising ground" for homosexual men.

Cruising is a term used by the homosexual community to describe seeking out one or multiple sex partners in a public place.

Patrons must present their membership cards and pay an entrance fee.

New applicants have to register at the counter with their e-mail addresses and contact numbers.

They must also sign a form agreeing to abide by the rules of the club before they are issued membership cards.

A lifetime membership costs $10, and entry rates range between $7 and $26.50, depending on the day and time.

Members who are between 18 and 23 years old get a discounted entry rate of $1.70 on any day.

Once inside, they are free to mingle with others using the club's facilities.

If they hit it off, themed rooms are available on the upper floor for sex.

Some rooms have dungeon themes, with prison bars and leather harnesses for members to play out their fantasies.

One of the members said the room doors do not need to be closed during sex.

They can choose to leave the doors open if they want others to join in.

There is even an open-air room with a huge bed, usually reserved for orgies. The first level has electronic lockers for each visitor, with a free condom inside.

"Every room also has a container for condoms and lubricants," said a 31-yearold member who, like the others, declined to be named.

The condoms are provided by Action for Aids, a voluntary organisation that provides support and assistance to persons living with HIV and Aids, he said.

Despite this, some members are doubtful that all of them practise safe sex.

"Everyone (who goes there) knows that, to a certain extent, unsafe sex happens even with free condoms," said a 25-yearold administrator.

Club members also said that the second level has a darkened maze and a common shower room they can use to meet strangers.

Less adventurous members can use the cafe or the lounge on the lower level for hook-ups.

Other facilities include saunas, a gym and a jacuzzi.

TNP understands that there are at least six such clubs here, catering to homosexual men.

Did he suffer from depression?

Mr Yeo Hung Song could have been suffering from depression when he died, police investigations revealed.

Mr Yeo, 49, began to show signs of depression after one of his pet dogs, Koko, died on Vesak Day in 2011.

His depression became worse after the death of his father in Malaysia in August last year, the report said.

His friends and family told the police that his behaviour started to change.

During his father's wake, Mr Yeo was visibly upset.

His sister, Ms Yeo Kah Choo, 60, noticed that he kept looking at their father's photograph throughout the night and was very quiet.

He told her he had piles and was taking medication, but had postponed an operation to fix the problem because of their father's death.

Mr Yeo also told her about his feelings towards his dead dog.

She believes he could have committed suicide as he was unhappy over the loss of his loved ones.

Mr Yeo's older brother, Mr Yeo Han Ming, 57, said his brother was a lonely person who seldom spoke to people.

After his father's death, Mr Yeo told his employer, Mr Tan Soy Tee, 61, that he wanted to make him the beneficiary of his CPF savings.

Funeral picture

Two weeks before his death, Mr Yeo showed Mr Tan a photo of himself on his mobile phone and told him to use it for his funeral.

A friend, Mr Loh Ken Hong, 53, said that when they spoke last October, Mr Yeo was tearing up and very emotional over his father's death.

There are no medical records to show that Mr Yeo suffered from depression.

ngjunsen@sph.com.sg

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