Doc, 70, accused of molest

Doc, 70, accused of molest

SINGAPORE- A veteran doctor and motoring writer told a court he was "confused, shocked and upset" yesterday after being accused of twice molesting a female patient.

Winston Lee Siew Boon, 70, is alleged to have inserted his hand into a then 34-year-old sales representative's bra cup and touched her breast at his Thong Hoe Clinic in Bukit Batok in June and October 2011.

On the first occasion, the complainant - who cannot be named due to a gag order - consulted Lee about nausea, flatulence and chest pain.

He carried out a blood test and allegedly put his hand under her bra and squeezed her breast once. She did not make any complaint as she thought it was normal and part of the examination at the time.

In October that year, she consulted him about a sore throat and cough. She alleged that he put his hand into her bra and squeezed her breast while discussing weight management, before taking his hand out and repeating the act.

She lodged a police report the next day.

The father of two - who is a long-standing contributor of motoring articles to The Straits Times' Life! section and Torque magazine - denies molesting her.

The doctor of 40 years was charged in April last year and his trial began in November.

He said he had demonstrated to the patient over her clothes the nature and site of where chest pain would occur.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sarah Ong cross-examined Lee yesterday, suggesting that his police statements were inconsistent with evidence in court.

Lee had told the court that he placed his right fist on the woman's sternum, slightly to the left and over her clothes, when she asked him what to look out for if she had strained her heart.

He also said no one had ever complained about him in his entire career.

He will call his witnesses when the hearing continues today. If convicted, he could face a jail term of up to two years and/or a fine on each charge.


Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

This article by The Straits Times was published in MyPaper, a free, bilingual newspaper published by Singapore Press Holdings.

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.