Former lifeguard accused of raping woman he met at beach party
He allegedly took advantage of her at Sentosa beach party
She was so afraid of her alleged rapist that she feared being in the same courtroom as him.
Applying for the alleged rape victim to give her testimony via videolink, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Kavita Uthrapathy told the court yesterday that the woman might break down and cry if she had to be in the same room as Pram Nair, 26.
On the first day of the trial in which he is accused of one count each of rape and sexually penetrating the woman, the court heard that Nair, then a lifeguard at Sentosa, allegedly committed the offences at Siloso Beach, near the Wavehouse, a beach bar and restaurant, at around 2.25am on May 6, 2012.
Justice Woo Bih Li turned down the prosecution's application.
This means that instead of giving her testimony via a live video link from another location, the woman, now 23, has to be physically present in the courtroom.
However, Justice Woo said that if needed, the prosecution may reapply for her to testify via videolink in the future.
In the opening address, DPP Bhajanvir Singh said the woman was a 20-year-old relief teacher when Nair allegedly raped her.
The woman and a friend had attended a beach party at the Wavehouse on May 5, 2012.
PARTY
DPP Singh said: "It was at the party that the victim and her friend were introduced to the accused by (a man known as) Jim for the first time.
"The court will hear that, at the party, the victim drank several different types of alcoholic beverages and quickly became intoxicated."
He added that Nair left the Wavehouse with the woman and took her to the beach.
Nair, who is represented by lawyer Peter Ong, then allegedly raped and sexually penetrated her.
Two men, Kason Tan Jia Rong and Terence Chung De Wei, were passing by when they saw the alleged offences taking place.
DPP Singh said: "Kason saw that the victim was trying to push the accused away in a weak manner and thereafter called the 999 police hotline."
The police soon arrived at the scene and the woman was found to be motionless and foaming at the mouth, the court heard.
She was rushed to the Singapore General Hospital.
Based on information from her friend, police officers spotted Nair nearby and arrested him.
The woman gave her testimony in camera yesterday. This means the public and the press were not allowed to observe the proceedings.
The trial resumes today.
If convicted of rape, Nair can be jailed up to 20 years and fined or caned.
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