Man Fined for Kicking Girlfriend Who Was Pregnant But They’re Now Engaged

By
Sabrina Chua
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Finding out that one is pregnant can be both a joyous and stressful situation for many. It can become the latter when both parties are not prepared for the pregnancy. While most people try to talk things through with their partners on the decision of whether to keep the pregnancy or move forward with an abortion, we can all concur that it is a difficult conversation to have.

Unfortunately, this difficult conversation for a couple escalated into something violent when they started arguing over the matter.

24-year-old Shawn Tan Jia Jun and his girlfriend found out that she was pregnant in July last year.

According to Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Tan Pei Wei, the couple visited a women’s clinic to confirm the pregnancy and explore the options that they had. The doctor then warned Tan’s girlfriend that if she wanted an abortion, the couple would have to come to a decision before 17 July so that there is no further risk of medical complications.

Man Punched & Kicked Pregnant Girlfriend During Argument

On 15 July, Tan was discussing with his girlfriend what to do next when they were at his house, but they soon got into a heated argument.

During the argument, Tan pushed his girlfriend onto the bed and repeatedly punched and kicked her abdomen. He also landed punches on her face.

The noise they were making alerted Tan’s mother who was at home at that time. She immediately entered and stopped the fight. Tan’s girlfriend later contacted a friend who came over to accompany her out of Tan’s home.

The pain of the injuries to her face, chest, and abdomen resulted in Tan’s girlfriend seeking medical treatment at the National University Hospital. It was also reported that she had a few bruises on her upper and lower limbs.

The doctor diagnosed Tan’s girlfriend to have a possible bone fracture on her face. However, she was unable to go through an X-ray to confirm this diagnosis as there was a risk that the foetus would be exposed to radiation.

Despite the blows to her abdomen, an ultrasound scan revealed that the foetus’ heart was still beating.

A Moment of Stress

During the court hearing, Tan’s lawyer, Mr Terence Yeo from TSMP Law Corporation, explained that Tan did not mean to cause any harm to his girlfriend.

He said that Tan reacted instinctively and impulsively after she tried to stop him from leaving the bedroom. His actions were also explained to be a result of the stress that he was under during that time. As such, he acted disproportionately.

Forgiven & Now Engaged

Here’s the shocker: after the incident, Tan’s girlfriend aborted the baby and forgave him for what he had done to her because she acknowledged that he didn’t mean to hurt her in a “vicious sense”, and that he only did what he did because of the stress over having to make a decision of whether to keep the baby within a short period of time.

She also requested that the police officers drop the charge against Tan.

The both of them are now back together as a couple and are due to get married later this year.

District Judge Wong Li Tein noted that that Tan’s assault on his pregnant girlfriend was quite serious, but also noted that she had forgiven him and is willing to start anew with him by marrying him.

She then sentenced Tan to pay a fine of $3,500 and remarked that the fact that his girlfriend has forgiven him “should be the greatest victory” to him.

If convicted of voluntarily causing hurt, one could be sentenced to a jail term of three years and a fine of $5,000.

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Sabrina Chua
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