Treatment order for schizophrenic man who tailed woman

Treatment order for schizophrenic man who tailed woman

A schizophrenic man who barged into a woman's hotel room with the intent to rape her was ordered to undergo treatment yesterday.

A court heard how 38-year-old Zainal Ariffin Selamat suffered a relapse of his mental condition while at Marina Bay Sands Hotel on Christmas Day last year.

The unemployed man had been wandering aimlessly in the lobby when he saw a 28-year-old woman carrying her luggage to her room.

He went after her as she entered a lift and offered to carry her luggage. When he followed her out of the lift, she became suspicious and walked ahead.

When she opened the door of her room, Ariffin rushed towards her, grabbed her hands, then pushed her inside.

She screamed for her boyfriend, who was in the bathroom.

Ariffin tried to run away but the boyfriend detained him in the corridor.

After the police arrived, Ariffin admitted that he intended to have sex with the woman and would have persisted even if she was unwilling.

The police seized condoms, a vibrator and other sex toys from a plastic bag he had been carrying.

Ariffin admitted to house-trespass and was given a two-year mandatory treatment order. His wife signed a $5,000 bond to ensure that he complies with its requirements. The maximum penalty for the offence is two years' jail and a fine.


This article was first published on September 13, 2014.
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