Woon Salacion Dalayon v PP: Criminal Intimidation Appeal - Sentence Reduction
Woon Salacion Dalayon, a manager at Signature Employment Agency, was convicted of criminal intimidation in the High Court of Singapore for threatening to kill Belen C De Vera, Mercedes J Padillo, and Anelita S Domingo, domestic maids recruited by the agency. Yong Pung How CJ dismissed her appeal against conviction but allowed the appeal against sentence, reducing it from six to three months imprisonment, considering the circumstances of the threat.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Appeal against conviction dismissed; appeal against sentence allowed. Sentence reduced to three months imprisonment.
1.3 Case Type
Criminal
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Appeal against conviction for criminal intimidation. The High Court reduced the sentence, considering the circumstances of the threat.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woon Salacion Dalayon | Appellant | Individual | Appeal against conviction dismissed; appeal against sentence allowed | Partial | Zero Nalpon |
| Public Prosecutor | Respondent | Government Agency | Partial Loss | Partial | Eugene Lee Yee Leng |
| Belen C De Vera | Other | Individual | |||
| Mercedes J Padillo | Other | Individual | |||
| Anelita S Domingo | Other | Individual |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Yong Pung How | Chief Justice | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Zero Nalpon | Nalpon & Company |
| Eugene Lee Yee Leng | Deputy Public Prosecutor |
4. Facts
- Woon, a manager at Signature Employment Agency, threatened to kill four Filipino maids if they did not pay the agency 70,000 pesos each.
- The maids were required to pay the agency S$2,010 each as fees for arranging their employment, to be paid in installments.
- The maids testified that Woon was very angry when she uttered the threat, and they were frightened and worried.
- After the threat, the maids escaped from the agency and sought help from a fellow Filipino domestic helper.
- Woon claimed she did not intend to carry out the threat and that she was confused when she made the statement to the police.
- The High Court found Woon guilty of criminal intimidation but reduced her sentence from six to three months imprisonment.
5. Formal Citations
- Woon Salacion Dalayon v Public Prosecutor, MA No 171 of 2002, [2002] SGHC 244
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Relevant events happened; Woon threatened the maids. | |
| Woon made a statement P3 to the Investigating Officer. | |
| Ruth gave a statement P4 to Saravanan. | |
| Woon refused to sign her s 122(6) statement. | |
| Decision date of the appeal. |
7. Legal Issues
- Criminal Intimidation
- Outcome: The court found the appellant guilty of criminal intimidation but reduced the sentence.
- Category: Substantive
- Appeal Against Conviction
- Outcome: The court dismissed the appeal against conviction.
- Category: Procedural
- Related Cases:
- [1992] 1 SLR 704
- [1998] 2 SLR 704
- [1994] 3 SLR 248
- [2001] 4 SLR 75
- Appeal Against Sentence
- Outcome: The court allowed the appeal against sentence and reduced the sentence.
- Category: Procedural
- Related Cases:
- [1964] 1 MLJ 1964
- [2002] 2 SLR 98
- [1995] 2 SLR 563
- [1999] 4 SLR 619
- Admissibility of Previous Inconsistent Statements
- Outcome: The court admitted the previous inconsistent statements into evidence.
- Category: Procedural
- Related Cases:
- [1999] 1 SLR 25
8. Remedies Sought
- Appeal against Conviction
- Appeal against Sentence
9. Cause of Actions
- Criminal Intimidation
10. Practice Areas
- Criminal Appeals
11. Industries
- Employment Agency
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lim Ah Poh v PP | High Court | Yes | [1992] 1 SLR 704 | Singapore | Cited for the principle that an appellate court will not disturb findings of fact unless clearly against the weight of evidence. |
| PP v Azman bin Abdullah | High Court | Yes | [1998] 2 SLR 704 | Singapore | Cited for the principle that an appellate court must be convinced that the decision is wrong, not merely entertain doubts. |
| PP v Choo Thiam Hock | High Court | No | [1994] 3 SLR 248 | Singapore | Cited regarding the appellate court's position to review evidence and come to its own conclusions. |
| PP v Tubbs Julia Elizabeth | High Court | No | [2001] 4 SLR 75 | Singapore | Cited regarding the appellate court's position to review evidence and come to its own conclusions. |
| Chai Chien Wei Kelvin v PP | High Court | Yes | [1999] 1 SLR 25 | Singapore | Cited for guidelines on determining the weight of a statement admitted under s 147(3) of the Evidence Act. |
| Ng Kwee Leong v PP | High Court | Yes | [1998] 2 SLR 942 | Singapore | Cited for the principle that immaterial discrepancies would not detract from the veracity of witnesses on material issues. |
| Lee Yoke Choong v PP | High Court | Yes | [1964] 1 MLJ 1964 | Malaysia | Cited for the principle that the intention of the maker of the threat and the fear of the victim are relevant in determining the appropriate sentence. |
| PP v Luan Yuanxin | High Court | Yes | [2002] 2 SLR 98 | Singapore | Cited for the principle that the intention of the maker of the threat and the fear of the victim are relevant in determining the appropriate sentence. |
| Ramanathan Yogendran v PP | High Court | No | [1995] 2 SLR 563 | Singapore | Cited as a case where the sentence was reduced from a year’s imprisonment to six months for a threat to kill. |
| PP v N | High Court | No | [1999] 4 SLR 619 | Singapore | Cited as a case where a sentence of one year’s imprisonment was imposed for threatening to kill his wife. |
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Penal Code (Cap 224, 1985 Rev Ed) s 506 | Singapore |
| Evidence Act (Cap 97, 1997 Rev Ed) s 147(3) | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Criminal Intimidation
- Threat to Kill
- Domestic Maids
- Employment Agency
- Inconsistent Statements
- Manifestly Excessive Sentence
15.2 Keywords
- Criminal Intimidation
- Singapore
- High Court
- Appeal
- Sentence
- Threat
- Domestic Helper
16. Subjects
- Criminal Law
- Sentencing
- Evidence
17. Areas of Law
- Criminal Law
- Sentencing
- Evidence Law