72-year-old man charged with harassment over abusive emails to Singapore MP and town council staff
A 72-year-old Singaporean man, Manickam Manohar, was charged with six counts under the Protection from Harassment Act for sending abusive emails to MP Hany Soh and town council staff, while separately in Australia, former Victoria Police officer Craig Lineham was sentenced to six months in prison for an 18-month online harassment campaign against a woman. Both cases involve harassment of public figures or community members through digital and public channels. The cases highlight growing judicial willingness to impose serious consequences for online and written harassment.
In Singapore, Manickam Manohar, 72, appeared in court on June 11 facing six charges under the Protection from Harassment Act after allegedly sending nine abusive emails to a Marsiling-Yew Tee Town Council feedback address and five emails to MP Hany Soh between August and October 2025, accusing staff of 'stealing' and 'cheating' and calling Ms Soh a 'criminal.' He also allegedly posted abusive notices at public housing blocks in Woodlands in 2024 and used abusive language toward other town council employees in 2023 and 2024. Manickam told the court he had written an apology letter to Ms Soh and town council manager Neo Yeng Kwang, though he disputed some charges; his case is next scheduled for July 9. In a separate Australian case, former Victoria Police sergeant Craig Lineham, 55, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment after pleading guilty to using a carriage service to menace feminist writer Sarah Baker over nearly 18 months, using multiple fake accounts, cloned pages, doctored images, and incitement of others to abuse her. Magistrate Gregory McNamara described the offending as 'extremely calculated' and 'unrelenting,' noting Lineham's background as a police officer made the conduct more serious. Both cases underscore a zero-tolerance stance by authorities toward harassment directed at individuals carrying out public or community roles.
What's missing
For the Singapore case, the articles do not detail the nature of the grievances that prompted Manickam's complaints, nor whether any of his underlying municipal concerns were investigated or addressed. For the Australian case, the articles do not specify whether any appeal has been lodged.
How coverage differed
The Straits Times reported on the Singapore case without naming the accused or the MP recipient, while Channel NewsAsia identified both Manickam Manohar and MP Hany Soh by name and provided significantly more detail on the specific charges, alleged statements, and court proceedings, offering a more granular account of the same story.
What different sources said
- Channel NewsAsiaCenter
Man, 72, charged over sending emails with abusive language to MP, town council staff member
- The Straits TimesCenter
Man charged with harassment over abusive language in e-mails sent to MP, town council staff
- ABC AustraliaCenter
Former police officer jailed for harassing woman online
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