Briton facing jail for leaving hotel quarantine in Singapore to visit girlfriend
Nigel Skea and his now-wife face up to six years in jail and a fine of £5,435
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Your support makes all the difference.A British man is facing jail in Singapore after admitting breaking a coronavirus quarantine order by leaving his hotel room to visit his fiancee in another room.
Nigel Skea and his Singaporean partner, Agatha Maghesh Eyamalai, each face a possible sentence of up to six years in prison and fines of 10,000 Singapore dollars (£5,435) per charge when they appear in court for sentencing on 26 February.
Skea left his room at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore hotel on three occasions in September, according to the charge sheets. He did not wear a mask when he did so.
On one occasion, Skea climbed an emergency staircase and entered a room his fiancee had booked before the two spent nine hours together.
Under the country’s coronavirus quarantine rules, most travellers to Singapore have to stay in an assigned hotel room or at home for 14 days after arriving.
They receive meals in quarantine and are required to record their temperatures regularly.
Skea arrived at Singapore’s state courts on Monday with Eyamalai, who he has since married.
He pleaded guilty of two charges of flouting the rules. Four other charges against him were temporarily withdrawn.
The prosecution asked that Skea be jailed for four weeks and fined 1,000 Singapore dollars (£543).
Defence lawyer Dhillon Surinder Singh, who is also representing Eyamalai, asked for a fine or a one-week jail term "to give him a slap on a wrist".
Eyamalai pleaded guilty to one charge of aiding Skea.
No Briton has been jailed in Singapore for breaking coronavirus rules, though a handful have had their work passes revoked and paid fines.
Additional reporting by Associated Press
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