Briton pleads guilty to illicit meet-up during Singapore quarantine

 

Briton Skea Nigel and partner Agatha Maghesh Eyamalai arrive at the State Courts for a hearing after breaking coronavirus disease (COVID-19) quarantine regulations in Singapore February 15, 2021. REUTERS/Edgar Su

 

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A British man pleaded guilty on Monday to breaking Singapore's strict coronavirus rules by sneaking out of his hotel room to meet his fiancée while he was undergoing two weeks of mandatory quarantine.

 

Nigel Skea, 52, faces six months in prison for leaving his room three times on Sept. 21 last year, one of which was to meet Singaporean partner Agatha Maghesh Eyamalai, who was not in quarantine but had booked a room in the same hotel.

 

Eyamalai, 39, who married Skea in November, pleaded guilty to abetting him. Skea was also not wearing a mask, which is required in Singapore.

 

The city-state requires most arrivals to undergo 14 days of quarantine at government-designated hotels.

 

Skea was twice "loitering along the corridor" and went to Eyamalai's room 13 floors higher by using a stairwell through an emergency exit door, which she had opened for him, according to the charges.

 

"This is a classic tale of two lovers wanting to be together and trying to be as close as possible to each other, but breaching the law," the couple's lawyer S.S. Dhillon told the court.

 

Sentencing is expected to take place on Feb. 26. Quarantine violations carry a penalty of a fine of up to S$10,000 ($7,565) or up to six months in jail, or both.

 

Singapore has jailed and fined others for breaking COVID-19 rules, while some foreigners have also had their work permits revoked.

 

It has largely brought the coronavirus under control, with less than a handful of new local cases a day, due to strict quarantining of arrivals, contact-tracing and social distancing.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-02-15

 

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How unusual!? Again we read about a Briton breaking the rules and behaving bad. Over and over again. Don´t think it goes a week without it.

11 hours ago, Dagfinnur Traustason said:

How unusual!? Again we read about a Briton breaking the rules and behaving bad. Over and over again. Don´t think it goes a week without it.

Great isn't it.....gives the Aussies a break!

12 hours ago, Dagfinnur Traustason said:

How unusual!? Again we read about a Briton breaking the rules and behaving bad. Over and over again. Don´t think it goes a week without it.

 

what a ridiculous , ill thought out statement stereotyping all British nationals. I suppose you believe Chinese are locusts when they eat the buffet and Germans steal all the deckchairs at the pool!

 

We have English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh in the loose term of ' Britons '  all with their own cultures and values that are unique to them.

 

And pray from what superior race do you hail?

 

Are you so sure that everybody follows all the rules regarding Covid19 in your country?

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Briton Skea Nigel and partner Agatha Maghesh Eyamalai arrive at the State Courts

they say love is blind. 

If the photo is anything to go by, think I'd have just stayed in my room.

To be fair, this is the sort of innovative spirit that allowed a small windswept island to rule the world. 

30 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

 

what a ridiculous , ill thought out statement stereotyping all British nationals. I suppose you believe Chinese are locusts when they eat the buffet and Germans steal all the deckchairs at the pool!

 

We have English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh in the loose term of ' Britons '  all with their own cultures and values that are unique to them.

 

And pray from what superior race do you hail?

 

Are you so sure that everybody follows all the rules regarding Covid19 in your country?

Never said that I am from any superior race. Never made a statement that everybody in my country follow rules, disreagarding virus or if something else. Why do you ask such things.

The reason why I react is simple. It´s based on that Britons are over represented when it comes to, breaking rules, breaking the law or stirring up probelms and getting caught among all foreigners residing in Thailand. If you can provide me with different facts, I am more than willing to accept defeat. Then I am talking about all the ones that not belong to a criminal gang or organisation. In that case Asian gangs are overrepresented together with Eastern Europe and Russia.

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Nigel Skea, 52, faces six months in prison for leaving his room three times on Sept. 21 last year, one of which was to meet Singaporean partner Agatha Maghesh Eyamalai, who was not in quarantine but had booked a room in the same hotel.

Surely once a hotel is deemed a quarantine facility it is no longer possible to book in as a normal guest?

Reported troll post and reply removed.

47 minutes ago, donnacha said:

To be fair, this is the sort of innovative spirit that allowed a small windswept island to rule the world. 

The reason why the crime rate is so low in Singapore is because the gov. is so strict and dont  fxxxk around dishing out big penalies if you break the law.Its a pity other countries such as Australia wouldnt follow suit.

1 hour ago, Scouse123 said:

what a ridiculous , ill thought out statement stereotyping all British nationals

Your see it everyday on TV, but it's usually about Thai's,  anything happens and its T.I.T....& they do this...or whats a matter with  all Thai's doing that.

 

You can see how silly it is when it is used about your country

50 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Surely once a hotel is deemed a quarantine facility it is no longer possible to book in as a normal guest?

In Australia the quarantine hotels are open to the public..but I think they put the covid guests on  seperate floors. I doubt that I would book into such a hotel.

15 minutes ago, wavodavo said:

In Australia the quarantine hotels are open to the public..but I think they put the covid guests on  seperate floors. I doubt that I would book into such a hotel.

Recipe for a disaster.

2 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

 

what a ridiculous , ill thought out statement stereotyping all British nationals.

The same d!<k comment would be made by the same type of person about any race, this isn’t about critical thought it’s just someone who wants to make noise without thinking..
 

One report of an idiot is sufficient to serve the confirmation bias of a fool !!! 

 

 

[How unusual!? Again we read about a (insert any nationality her) breaking the rules and behaving bad. Over and over again. Don´t think it goes a week without it.]

Wouldn’t imagine many guests in the ritz carlton have forearm tattoos like his.

4 hours ago, Dagfinnur Traustason said:

Never said that I am from any superior race. Never made a statement that everybody in my country follow rules, disreagarding virus or if something else. Why do you ask such things.

The reason why I react is simple. It´s based on that Britons are over represented when it comes to, breaking rules, breaking the law or stirring up probelms and getting caught among all foreigners residing in Thailand. If you can provide me with different facts, I am more than willing to accept defeat. Then I am talking about all the ones that not belong to a criminal gang or organisation. In that case Asian gangs are overrepresented together with Eastern Europe and Russia.

Possibly because Brits are over-represented in S E Asia. 

4 hours ago, donnacha said:

To be fair, this is the sort of innovative spirit that allowed a small windswept island to rule the world. 

you mean 'rob' the world don't you?

3 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

Your see it everyday on TV, but it's usually about Thai's,  anything happens and its T.I.T....& they do this...or whats a matter with  all Thai's doing that.

 

You can see how silly it is when it is used about your country

yeah, you should be able to take it if you're going to give it but it seldom works that way..

4 hours ago, donnacha said:

To be fair, this is the sort of innovative spirit that allowed a small windswept island to rule the world. 

and partly led to the deaths of over 100K on that island..

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

"This is a classic tale of two lovers wanting to be together and trying to be as close as possible to each other, but breaching the law,"

he was using the wrong head to think  555

An FEDEX, US citizen, pilot got 4 weeks SIN jail for a more brazen violation.

 

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/us-pilot-jailed-singapore-breaking-quarantine-order-70696912

1 hour ago, rott said:

Possibly because Brits are over-represented in S E Asia. 

Does that mean they have to stand out in the bad way, why not the good and posiive instead? When do you hear or read about that? One time a year?

7 minutes ago, Dagfinnur Traustason said:

Does that mean they have to stand out in the bad way, why not the good and posiive instead? When do you hear or read about that? One time a year?

When do you hear about anybody standing out in a good way.? 

That isn't news. 

1 hour ago, ronaldo0 said:

Wouldn’t imagine many guests in the ritz carlton have forearm tattoos like his.

I'd imagine full sleeves, what a lightweight>

3 minutes ago, rott said:

When do you hear about anybody standing out in a good way.? 

That isn't news. 

Great excuse! ????

18 hours ago, Dagfinnur Traustason said:

How unusual!? Again we read about a Briton breaking the rules and behaving bad. Over and over again. Don´t think it goes a week without it.

 

It's not as if the Scandihooligans are paragons of virtue though.

 

BTW, Skea is an Orcadian (Orkney Isles) surname (family name) so I guess the eple doesn't falle too far from the tre.

1 hour ago, from the home of CC said:

5 hours ago, donnacha said:

To be fair, this is the sort of innovative spirit that allowed a small windswept island to rule the world. 

you mean 'rob' the world don't you?

 

Oops @donnacha, looks like you've just stubbed your toe on a woke.

9 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

 

It's not as if the Scandihooligans are paragons of virtue though.

 

BTW, Skea is an Orcadian (Orkney Isles) surname (family name) so I guess the eple doesn't falle too far from the tre.

Why not try to understand. I never posted it was only, and no other nationalities. Just posted the fact that it´s too much and over represented. Unfortunately, for you, that is an undisputed fact that you will have very hard to change or produce other facts against.

Will he get credit for "time served" (in quarantine)?