It was supposed to be just another morning commute for tutor Winnie Ong as she headed for work that day in October 2024. Standing on the train platform at Serangoon MRT station, with music in her ears and eyes on her phone, Ms Ong was immersed in her own world – until a sudden tap on her shoulder threw her off kilter. A woman with a child in tow gestured at Ms Ong. "She ... told me: 'I caught this person taking your upskirt photo'." Ms Ong, now 30 and a livestreamer, said: "I felt confused, because I didn't see an adult man (next to the woman) but a boy who was 12 or 11 years old."For the next few minutes, her mind went blank. She did not expect to have someone film up her skirt, let alone by a primary school student. On the advice of the woman who had caught the boy, Ms Ong decided to seek help from the authorities.
"The boy kept crying and begging me not to call the police. But I decided to do so, because I worried that this may not be (his) first time," she said."Later, (the police) found more photos on his phone."The boy was given a conditional warning after investigations. It requires him to remain crime-free for a specified period. Failing that, he may face prosecution. Looking back, Ms Ong felt that the bystander’s intervention was fortunate. Otherwise, she might not have realised that a crime had occurred, or have been in the right state of mind to make a police report.
