A husband admitted to fantasising about killing his wife, she sought protection, a Singapore court said no — here’s why

Singapore, August 29 - A man recently admitted to fantasizing about killing his wife, a chilling revelation shared during a recent separation. Despite the woman filing for a Personal Protection Order due to emotional, psychological, and physical abuse, a recent court decision has rejected her request. The Straits Times reported on the surprising verdict provided by Magistrate Yvette Tay.

The estranged couple, who tied the knot in December 2023, had only been together for a year before their breakup. Tensions escalated when the woman struck her husband during an argument, leading him to seek his own protection order. The wife alleged five incidents of family violence between May 2024 and January 2025, including four cases of emotional or psychological abuse and one physical incident.

A Telegram message from December 29, 2024, showed the husband's distress, stating he was in an "unstable state of mind" and expressing his anger towards his wife. While the woman testified that the messages left her confused and shocked, placing her in a state of uncertainty, she also mentioned her willingness to engage with him. She expressed her longing for him, asked if they could cuddle, suggested a holiday together, and even sent him an intimate photograph.

However, Magistrate Tay found that the husband's thoughts were predominantly from the past, not a threat to his wife's safety. She described his message as an "over-honest and misguided" attempt to explain his mental state. The couple had been estranged since October 2024, with no communication since January 2025, while the husband consistently refused to maintain contact.

In her decision, Tay determined that the likelihood of the husband committing family violence against the wife was low, given the circumstances of the case. The woman's application was dismissed, and she was ordered to pay her husband S$1,500 (RM4,665) in costs. The ruling doesn't dismiss the possibility that statements about killing a spouse can never be considered family violence, but it reflects the court's assessment of the evidence and the context of the messages.