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Tourist jailed after beating up girlfriend for dancing with stranger, thrashing hotel room

SINGAPORE — A tourist was green with envy when he saw his girlfriend dancing with another man at a club. So when they returned to their hotel room at the Marina Bay Sands, he beat her up, dragged her to a window and told her to jump off the building with him.

Taputoro Meihana Deane Delamere thrashed his room at the Marina Bay Sands, damaging the main door and breaking three balcony glass panels and a coffee table, among other items.

Taputoro Meihana Deane Delamere thrashed his room at the Marina Bay Sands, damaging the main door and breaking three balcony glass panels and a coffee table, among other items.

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SINGAPORE — A tourist was green with envy when he saw his girlfriend dancing with another man at a club.

So when they returned to their hotel room at the Marina Bay Sands, he beat her up, dragged her to a window and told her to jump off the building with him.

In his state of anger, Taputoro Meihana Deane Delamere also thrashed the hotel room, threw suitcases from the seventh floor and punched a volunteer police officer who tried to arrest him.

On Monday (Jan 6), the 32-year-old New Zealander was sentenced in the State Courts to three months and four weeks’ jail. He had pleaded guilty to two charges of voluntarily causing hurt, and one of endangering the lives of others through a rash act.

Two other charges were taken into consideration for Delamere’s sentencing, which was backdated to Nov 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.

HE CHALLENGED POLICE OFFICERS TO ‘GET HIM’

According to court documents, Delamere and his girlfriend of nine months, Ms Tangitutu Louisa Ada Ehetera, went to a club on Nov 16 last year, three days after they had arrived in Singapore for a holiday.

Ms 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. It is not known if Delamere has made any restitution.

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 Ms 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.

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.

‘VERY, VERY SORRY’

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 okay 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.”

Related topics

abuse drunk Marina Bay Sands New Zealander court crime jail

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