Michelle Leong Yi Ling sentenced to a 14-day short detention order for mischief and trespassing.
On October 24, 2024, Michelle Leong Yi Ling, 24, was sentenced to a 14-day short detention order (SDO) for committing mischief at Red Cross House in Singapore while intoxicated. The SDO means she will serve 14 days in jail but will avoid a criminal record upon release.
Leong pleaded guilty to one count of mischief, with another count of trespassing considered during sentencing. The incident occurred on October 8, 2023, when Leong, along with her boyfriend Keith Ong Wei Han, 28, was drinking at a bar in Dhoby Ghaut. After consuming half a bottle of vodka, the couple walked to Red Cross House, a newly reopened building, where Leong spray-painted offensive words and symbols on the walls, while Ong allegedly sprayed more provocative messages.
Security footage from the building showed them entering at around 12:50 a.m., and by 1:50 a.m., they had defaced the property. The couple later posed for photos before leaving the premises. The damage was discovered later that day and promptly repainted by contractors.
The court heard that Leong had been assessed for probation, but the prosecution recommended the SDO due to her actions after consuming alcohol. Leong, who had lost her job after the incident, expressed remorse and was about to start a new job.
