Thirugnana Sampanthar Sinnathuray
Encyclopedia
Thirugnana Sampanthar Sinnathuray, affectionately known as 'Sam' or 'Judge' by his friends and peers, was born on 22 September 1930 and the son of a school principal. He received his early education at Pearl's Hill School and the Outram School
but was cut short by the Fall Of Singapore in February 1942. He continued his secondary education at the Raffles Institution
after the War, completing his senior Cambridge Examinations there in 1948. He went on to read law at the University College London
, and graduated in 1953. He was called to Bar at Lincoln's Inn
.
Upon his return to Singapore, he joined and practised law with the firm Oehlers and Choa and was appointed Magistrate
in 1956. He was made Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court in 1960, becoming a full Registrar of the Court in 1963.
He was appointed Judge of the High Court of Singapore on 1 October 1978, and served in his office till his retirement on 23 September 1997. Notable cases judged by him during this time include the Toa Payoh ritual murders
, serial murderer John Martin Scripps
and opposition politician J.B. Jeyaretnam
.
He is also a renowned numismatist in Singapore, and an expert on Singapore and Malaya postcards. He was Chairman of the Third Singapore Note And Coin Advisory Committee in the Board of Commissioners of Currency Singapore, serving from 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2008, and a consultant to Mavin International Pte Ltd.
In 1993 Sinnathuray and other fellow alumni friends had helped to establish the Singapore Chapter of the University College London
(UCL) Alumni, not only to provide to the welfare and interest of other UCL graduates in Singapore but also provide a local platform for networking with other members from other Chapters around the world.
Outram Secondary School
Outram Secondary School, abbreviated as OSS is a government school in Singapore. Founded in 1906 as Outram Road School, then Outram School by gazette notification, Outram Secondary School is one of the oldest schools in Singapore. It is the only government school in Singapore with a swimming pool...
but was cut short by the Fall Of Singapore in February 1942. He continued his secondary education at the Raffles Institution
Raffles Institution
Raffles Institution , founded in 1823, is the oldest centre for pre-tertiary learning in Singapore. It is an independent school in Singapore providing secondary and pre-university education. RI consists of a boys-only secondary section , and a coeducational pre-university section...
after the War, completing his senior Cambridge Examinations there in 1948. He went on to read law at the University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, and graduated in 1953. He was called to Bar at Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
.
Upon his return to Singapore, he joined and practised law with the firm Oehlers and Choa and was appointed Magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
in 1956. He was made Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court in 1960, becoming a full Registrar of the Court in 1963.
He was appointed Judge of the High Court of Singapore on 1 October 1978, and served in his office till his retirement on 23 September 1997. Notable cases judged by him during this time include the Toa Payoh ritual murders
Toa Payoh ritual murders
The Toa Payoh ritual murders took place in Singapore in 1981. On 25 January the body of a nine-year-old girl was found dumped next to the lift of a block of flats in the Toa Payoh district and, two weeks later, a ten-year-old boy was found dead nearby. The children had been killed,...
, serial murderer John Martin Scripps
John Martin Scripps
John Martin was a British spree killer who murdered three tourists—Gerard Lowe in Singapore, and Sheila and Darin Damude in Thailand—with another three unconfirmed victims. He posed as a tourist himself when committing the murders, for which British tabloids nickname him "the tourist from Hell"...
and opposition politician J.B. Jeyaretnam
Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam
Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam was a politician and lawyer from Singapore. He was the leader of the Workers' Party from 1971 to 2001...
.
He is also a renowned numismatist in Singapore, and an expert on Singapore and Malaya postcards. He was Chairman of the Third Singapore Note And Coin Advisory Committee in the Board of Commissioners of Currency Singapore, serving from 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2008, and a consultant to Mavin International Pte Ltd.
In 1993 Sinnathuray and other fellow alumni friends had helped to establish the Singapore Chapter of the University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
(UCL) Alumni, not only to provide to the welfare and interest of other UCL graduates in Singapore but also provide a local platform for networking with other members from other Chapters around the world.