SINGAPORE: Singapore businessman Howard Shaw, who was sentenced to three months in jail for paying for sex with an underage sex worker, has dropped his appeal against the sentence, court officials said on Tuesday. The former Environment Council Executive Director was given a 12 weeks' jail term for his infraction and had said he would appeal the sentence, but has reversed his earlier decision, a Subordinate Courts spokesperson confirmed to Bikyamasr.com on Tuesday afternoon. He will begin serving his sentence on October 5. Senior District Judge See Kee Oon, in his written grounds explaining his decision to hand Shaw a 12 -week jail term, said it was difficult to tell whether Shaw was genuinely remorseful about having paid sex with the underage sex worker. Shaw is married with two children. The scandal, which has seen over 40 men charged in the underage sex scandal has left many in the Southeast Asian country frustrated and angry, especially women. In June, Shaw pleaded guilty to hiring a 17-year-old sex worker $500 to have sex in October 2010. He is the second man to plead guilty after former principal Lee Lip Hong, who was sentenced to 9 weeks in jail. The 39-year-old Lee was released from Changi Prison in June after serving only 6 weeks in jail. He was released early because of “good behavior." Women's rights advocates in the country have criticized the weak sentences against the businessmen, arguing that they give more lenience to continue such illegal activities in the country, which has been hit hard this year by sex scandals. At least 40 men are involved in the case of hiring the underage sex worker for her services. Among those, around 10 have already pleaded guilty to the charges and await sentencing. The scandal has sparked debate in the country, where businessmen and government officials were involved in the under-age sex ring.
