Sim Choon Wee Kenny v Public Prosecutor: Appeals on Custodial Sentence for Offenses Involving Underage Prostitute
In Sim Choon Wee Kenny v Public Prosecutor, the High Court of Singapore, presided over by Justice Choo Han Teck on 20 September 2013, dismissed appeals against custodial sentences for offenses involving a prostitute. The court emphasized the need for strong general deterrence due to the continued flow of similar cases, finding that the mitigating factors had already been considered in the initial sentencing.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Appeals dismissed.
1.3 Case Type
Criminal
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Appeals against custodial sentences for offenses involving an underage prostitute were dismissed, emphasizing the need for strong general deterrence due to ongoing similar offenses.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Prosecutor | Respondent | Government Agency | Appeal dismissed | Won | Andrew Tan of Attorney-General’s Chambers G Kannan of Attorney-General’s Chambers Sanjna Rai of Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Sim Choon Wee Kenny | Appellant | Individual | Appeal dismissed | Lost |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Choo Han Teck | J | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Andrew Tan | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| G Kannan | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Sanjna Rai | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Anand Nalachandran | Braddell Brothers LLP |
4. Facts
- The appeals concerned custodial sentences for offenses involving a prostitute.
- The prostitute went by the professional name of “Chantelle”.
- The prostitute was almost of full age.
- There was some degree of misrepresentation by her of her age.
- The court considered mitigating factors personal to each appellant.
- New offenses were committed after the appellants’ cases.
5. Formal Citations
- Sim Choon Wee Kenny v Public Prosecutor and another appeal, Magistrate's Appeal No 54 and 129 of 2013, [2013] SGHC 182
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Decision Date |
7. Legal Issues
- Appropriateness of Custodial Sentence
- Outcome: The court found that a custodial sentence was warranted and dismissed the appeals.
- Category: Substantive
8. Remedies Sought
- Appeal against custodial sentence
9. Cause of Actions
- No cause of actions
10. Practice Areas
- Criminal Appeals
11. Industries
- No industries specified
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No cited cases | |||||
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| No applicable statutes | |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Custodial sentence
- General deterrence
- Mitigating factors
- Underage prostitute
15.2 Keywords
- criminal law
- sentencing
- appeal
- custodial sentence
- prostitute
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Criminal Law | 80 |
| Sentencing | 70 |
| Prostitution Law | 60 |
| General Deterrence | 50 |
16. Subjects
- Criminal Law
- Sentencing
- Appeals