Ex-NTU Researcher Fined for Stalking PhD Student She Liked; Had Sent Him 116 Emails

By
Shernice Sim
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Having graduated from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), I thought I had seen it all, but I thought wrong.

You would expect the drama there to be confined to academic papers and research presentations (or the occasional tourist drama). But in this case, the drama unfolded off-campus, in the form of a persistent crush that led to legal trouble.

Meet Han Xiaobing, a 34-year-old Chinese national and former researcher at NTU who, unfortunately, crossed the line from affection to obsession.

Her target? A 29-year-old PhD student at the same university who had the misfortune of becoming the object of her unrequited love.

Unrequited Love and Unwanted Attention

It all started innocently enough.

Han, who was working on a research project, found herself drawn to the young man who was assisting her. As feelings often do, they grew over time, but this was not a case of mutual attraction.

Though the PhD student, who remains unnamed in court documents, made it clear to her that he was not interested, Han wasn’t ready to give up so easily.

What began was a two-year saga of unreciprocated affection, with Han bombarding the poor fellow with long-winded messages, professing her feelings and hoping to win him over.

When it became too much for him to handle, the PhD student did what anyone in his position would do — he blocked her on all communication platforms in February 2021. 

Undeterred however, Han continued to try and reach out, both electronically and in person. It was clear that she wasn’t ready to take “no” for an answer.

Protection Orders and Persistence

By October 2023, the situation had escalated to the point where the PhD student felt compelled to take legal action.

He obtained a protection order against Han on 25 October, which prohibited her from contacting him or visiting any place he frequented. This might have been the end of the story, but the plot continues to thicken.

In a move that can only be described as coming from an unhinged K-drama character, she proceeded to send him a staggering 116 emails between 25 October and 12 December 2023, all demanding to meet and talk in person.

The situation took a turn for the worse when Han decided to show up at his workplace, not once, but twice. The first incident occurred on 7 December 2023, when she walked into the lobby of Fusionopolis, where the PhD student worked, and asked the counter staff to see him.

Fortunately, he was not there that day.

Not so fortunately, Han returned five days later, determined to catch him this time.

It was at this point that the PhD student decided enough was enough. He called the police, reporting that Han was violating the protection order and that her actions were causing him significant stress.

The police questioned Han on 18 December, and she promised to adhere to the protection order.

Final Straw and Legal Consequences

Just when you’d think Han might have learned her lesson, she showed up at NTU one final time on 3 January 2024, this time managing to locate the PhD student in his lab, watching him through a window like a scene out of a horror movie.

The PhD student, who is understandably fed up, informed her that he was calling the police. Han, perhaps finally realising that she had crossed a line, left without saying a word.

By this point, the authorities had had enough too. On 21 August 2024, Han found herself in court, facing charges of unlawful stalking and violating a protection order.

The prosecution claimed that her frequent and persistent actions had taken a serious emotional toll on the victim, and are seeking a fine of S$7,500.

In court, Han was not represented by a lawyer and admitted to two offences under the Protection from Harassment Act for unlawful stalking and violating a protection order. 

For her defence, she asked for leniency, painting a picture (via an interpreter) of a woman down on her luck, having been jobless for a year and eight months, and even fallen victim to a scam.

She told the court that she had only S$4,000 to her name and requested to pay any fine in instalments.

District Judge Diana Haven agreed to it, fining her S$8,000 with her paying the first S$4000 upfront and the rest of the amount in S$500 monthly instalments.

The fine she received serves as a reminder that in Singapore, stalking and harassment are taken seriously, and the law provides protection for those who find themselves on the receiving end of unwanted attention.

Under the Protection from Harassment Act, unlawful stalking can result in a jail term of up to 12 months or a fine of up to S$5,000, or both.

Violating a protection order carries similar penalties, with offenders facing up to six months in jail or a S$5,000 fine, or both.

For the PhD student, this ordeal has most likely left emotional scars. Hopefully, with the legal proceedings now concluded, he can focus on his studies and career without the shadow of this incident hanging over him.

As for Han, one can only hope that she can eventually find some other healthier ways to cope with rejection that do not involve violating someone’s privacy and peace of mind.

In response to questions from the press, NTU stated that Han’s employment with the university concluded in December 2022.

A university spokesperson further commented that they expect all of their employees to maintain “the highest standards of ethical and professional behaviour”.

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Shernice Sim