The grandson of the founder of Shaw Organisation, who was charged with paying an underaged girl for sex in April, asked for an early plea to be taken.
This means that 41-year-old Howard Shaw will decide whether or not to plead guilty.
Former Singapore Environment Council (SEC) executive director Howard Shaw was among the 48 men who were earlier charged with paid sex with a 17-year-old girl.
He is now represented by a team of lawyers led by Mr Harpreet Singh Nehal, a senior counsel from WongPartnership.
In a statement to the media, his lawyers raised the issue of Shaw's charge, which falls under Section 376B of the Penal Code, which is an "absolute liability offence" under Singapore law.
This means that the accused would be deemed to have committed the offence - even though there's no intent.
Under the Section 377D, a mistake on the age of the minor is also not a defence.
The lawyers pointed out that under Section 376B, the courts has "an extremely wide sentencing discretion, ranging from a fine to a maximum jail sentence of seven years".
Section 376B states that any person who obtains for consideration the sexual services of a person, who is under 18 years of age, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years, or with fine, or with both.
They said this case raises important questions of law and public policy, as to how the courts should approach their wide sentencing discretion under this section.
They said the court's decision on the questions of law and policy raised in this case will have significant ramifications, not just for Shaw but for the other men who have been charged with the same offences, or who may in future face a charge under this section, or related sections, of the Penal Code.
Hence, they have sought and obtained a hearing on 27 June to address these issues with the court.
A former executive director of operations at UBS Investment Bank, who has been charged with two counts of having paid sex with the same girl, will be contesting the charges.
40-year-old Swiss expatriate Juerg Buergin will be back in court on 3 July.
Juerg, who is currently unemployed, allegedly paid the girl for sex in late 2010 and early 2011.
He is currently out on a S$15,000 bail.
His lawyer, Mr Selva K. Naidu, commented that his client is "reasonably okay".
The former principal of Pei Chun Public School, Lee Lip Hong, was the first man to be convicted in the online vice ring case. He was sentenced to nine weeks' jail in April, and was released on 8 June for good behaviour after serving six weeks behind bars.
This means that 41-year-old Howard Shaw will decide whether or not to plead guilty.
Former Singapore Environment Council (SEC) executive director Howard Shaw was among the 48 men who were earlier charged with paid sex with a 17-year-old girl.
He is now represented by a team of lawyers led by Mr Harpreet Singh Nehal, a senior counsel from WongPartnership.
In a statement to the media, his lawyers raised the issue of Shaw's charge, which falls under Section 376B of the Penal Code, which is an "absolute liability offence" under Singapore law.
This means that the accused would be deemed to have committed the offence - even though there's no intent.
Under the Section 377D, a mistake on the age of the minor is also not a defence.
The lawyers pointed out that under Section 376B, the courts has "an extremely wide sentencing discretion, ranging from a fine to a maximum jail sentence of seven years".
Section 376B states that any person who obtains for consideration the sexual services of a person, who is under 18 years of age, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years, or with fine, or with both.
They said this case raises important questions of law and public policy, as to how the courts should approach their wide sentencing discretion under this section.
They said the court's decision on the questions of law and policy raised in this case will have significant ramifications, not just for Shaw but for the other men who have been charged with the same offences, or who may in future face a charge under this section, or related sections, of the Penal Code.
Hence, they have sought and obtained a hearing on 27 June to address these issues with the court.
A former executive director of operations at UBS Investment Bank, who has been charged with two counts of having paid sex with the same girl, will be contesting the charges.
40-year-old Swiss expatriate Juerg Buergin will be back in court on 3 July.
Juerg, who is currently unemployed, allegedly paid the girl for sex in late 2010 and early 2011.
He is currently out on a S$15,000 bail.
His lawyer, Mr Selva K. Naidu, commented that his client is "reasonably okay".
The former principal of Pei Chun Public School, Lee Lip Hong, was the first man to be convicted in the online vice ring case. He was sentenced to nine weeks' jail in April, and was released on 8 June for good behaviour after serving six weeks behind bars.
