SINGAPORE - An officer with the Home Affairs Ministry, who unlawfully stalked his girlfriend by engaging in acts to harass her last year was jailed for six months on Wednesday (June 29).

Adrian Goh Guan Kiong, 38, is the second man to have been convicted of stalking this month.

Two weeks ago, Lai Zhi Heng, 26, became the first to be convicted of stalking and washanded a total sentence of 12 months - six months each for unlawful stalking and committing a rash act.

Assistant Public Prosecutor Thiagesh Sukumaran said that Goh, who is married with three children, came to know the 25-year-old woman at the end of 2011 during her university holidays. They entered into a relationship shortly after.

This continued after the woman started working in a government department.

While they were together, he took nude pictures of her with her consent and promised not to circulate them.

Their relationship was strained and rocky at times. He felt that he was spending too much money on her and felt insecure that she had a close relationship with several male colleagues. They quarrelled several times as a result.

When he learnt that she was travelling to Malaysia with a male colleague last August, he became resentful and upset.

While they were having lunch at Causeway Point on July 31 last year, she entrusted her mobile phone to him. He excused himself to use the toilet.

Still angry and upset, he felt betrayed as he had guided her to join the civil service and had spent large amounts of money on her during their relationship.

He transferred the nude photos he had taken to her phone. He sent four images to her work WhatsApp chat group with accompanying messages before deleting them from her phone.

When her phone rang, he ignored it. Shortly, he sent a message "Oops.. wrong chat group Ps''. He then rejoined his girlfriend and returned the phone, after he had deleted all the messages.

APP Thiagesh said Goh sent the pictures and messages with the intention to embarrass and humiliate her.

When the victim found out about the nude pictures and messages, she asked Goh who denied sending them.

On Aug 3, still feeling resentful, Goh created a fake email account. He emailed her superior alleging that she and her colleague had engaged in sex while at work, which he knew was false.

The same day, he posted a letter to her father stating that she was engaging in "pre-marital sex'' with two men, knowing the family were staunch Christians.

The victim made a police report on Aug 3.

Pleading for a chance, Goh said in his mitigation letter that he was truly sorry and that what he did was totally out of character. He said all his work, commendations and promotions had gone down the drain, and he had been shunned by friends.

District Judge Ow Yong Tuck Leong agreed with the prosecution that a deterrent sentence should be imposed.

He said Goh's was a deliberate and calculated plan to harm the reputation of the victim by circulating her nude photos. Goh had also caused much humiliation to the victim and the effect is long-lasting.

The maximum penalty for stalking is a $5,000 fine and 12 months' jail.

Goh, who joined MHA in 2000, also faces disciplinary action from the ministry. The proceedings will start after his conviction.

"Officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs are expected to uphold high standards of discipline and integrity, and abide by the law. Those who commit offences will be charged in Court and dealt with in accordance with the law," said an MHA spokesman.

Goh has been interdicted from service since Aug 28 last year, MHA added.