Singapore jails New Zealand tourist for wrecking hotel room after heated argument with girlfriend
- Angry over seeing his partner dancing with another man at a club, the 32-year-old Kiwi punched and kicked her at their Marina Bay Sands hotel room
- He also threw suitcases from the seventh floor, damaged the main door and was jailed for three months and four weeks
A tourist was green with envy when he saw his girlfriend dancing with another man at a club.
In his state of anger, Taputoro Meihana Deane Delamere also vandalised the hotel room, threw suitcases from the seventh floor and punched a volunteer police officer who tried to arrest him.
Two other charges were taken into consideration for Delamere’s sentencing, which was backdated to November 22 last year, the day he was remanded.
In a written apology, which was submitted to the court, Delamere claimed that he was “very intoxicated” and that it had clouded his judgment.
Chinese tourist stabbed in head at Osaka discount store
According to court documents, Delamere and his girlfriend of nine months, Tangitutu Louisa Ada Ehetera, went to a club on November 16 last year, three days after they had arrived in Singapore for a holiday.
Ehetera, 29, then started dancing with a stranger, which enraged Delamere. The pair quarrelled over the matter and the argument continued till they returned to their hotel room at around 4am.
Then things got violent. Delamere started to punch and kick his girlfriend as she sat on a chair. He also destroyed several items in the room, damaging the main door and breaking three balcony glass panels and a coffee table, among other items.
The total he owed to MBS for cleaning up his mess and replacing the damaged items was S$8,742.80 (US$6,481.77). It is not known if Delamere has made any restitution.
Japanese man crashes car into Singapore bus stop, blames work culture
Aside from wreaking havoc in the room, Delamere also threw two suitcases, two backpacks and one metal pole down from the room. No one was hit.
During the course of his dispute with Ehetera, Delamere dragged her to the window as he threatened to commit suicide and asked her to jump with him. His girlfriend was able to break free and escape.
When the police arrived, they first observed Delamere from the balcony of another room. But Delamere spotted the officers and challenged them to “get him”.
He then climbed from his balcony to the officers’ room and approached them.
Expat in Singapore who ‘killed man with bottle’ was ‘religiously motivated’
When the police tried to arrest him, Delamere put up a struggle, which caused a volunteer police sergeant to stumble backwards and hit his head against a glass door.
He also punched another volunteer police sergeant.
In his written apology, Delamere said he regretted his actions.
“I am very, very sorry and remorseful for what I did, and the injuries that I caused them,” he said. “I hope they are OK and have recovered.”
He admitted that he had a drinking problem, and said he will seek help after his release.
“I would like to apologise to the city of Singapore for what I have done and the crimes I have committed,” he said. “I was supposed to be enjoying a holiday and relaxing instead of making a fool of myself and breaking the law.”
