Amos Yee's mother took him to see a psychiatrist but he stopped after two visits

SINGAPORE - Teenage blogger Amos Yee's mother brought him to the Institute of Mental Health to see a psychiatrist on April 3. But after two sessions, the 16-year-old refused to go anymore, it was revealed in court on Wednesday.

During the hearing, the prosecution offered to lower his bail amount and do away with the requirement that he reports to Bedok Police Station every morning as part of his bail conditions, if he agrees to continue to see a psychiatrist.

Yee said no, which led the High Court to deny his application to challenge his bail conditions, which include not being allowed to post online. He continues to be remanded in custody pending his two-day trial for attacking Christianity and transmitting an obscene image. His trial is scheduled to start on Thursday.

Yee's lawyers, Mr Alfred Dodwell and Mr Ervin Tan, argued on Wednesday that the court should set aside bail conditions which require Yee to undertake not to post content online while the case against him is ongoing and to either take down or make private a YouTube video and his blog posts.

Mr Dodwell said that being on social media was "the equivalent of him drinking water" and the conditions were "taking away a lot from him."

During the hearing, Justice Tay Yong Kwang asked Mr Dodwell what was so difficult about complying with these social media conditions. "They just have to learn to curb themselves," he said.

Deputy public prosecutor Hay Hung Chun told the court that the prosecution only became aware on Tuesday that Yee's mother had taken him to the IMH on Good Friday. Yee went for two appointments but refused to go for a third.

The judge asked Yee's lawyers if their client was prepared to accept the prosecution's offer to continue his appointments. Yee flatly refused.

Justice Tay said that in view of that, he saw no reason to vary any of the bail conditions.

This article was first published on May 6, 2015.
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