SINGAPORE, Oct 23 — A Singapore teenager lost his appeal for his 16-year sentence for killing a schoolmate to be shortened.

CNA reported that the teen, 19, had asked for his sentence to be reduced from 16 years to eight to 10 years jail instead.

The Court of Appeal had noted that the teen understood the nature of his act and that his thought process was logical.

While the teenager had been having mental health struggles, the three-judge court also noted that he did not seek help and there was no justification for why the sentencing principle of retribution did not apply in this case.

Both the teenager and his victim, Ethan Hun Zhe Kai, attended River Valley High School, where the former had attacked Hun in a school toilet and then proceeded to call the police.

He was reported to have said,” I just killed someone. With an axe. I don’t know who. Are you going to send someone or not?”

The teen had, according to the original sentencing judge Justice Hoo Sheau Peng, concocted a "twisted plan” to go on a killing spree in hopes the police would have no choice but to use lethal means against him.

He had previously attempted suicide twice before.

One of the judges at the Court of Appeal presiding over the appeal, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, said the offender demonstrated "a chilling degree of premeditation, and a cold and calculated approach in planning and preparing for the killing”.

While the court had taken into account his mental health issues, they also noted that he had control over other aspects of his live but chose instead to watch violent videos that further impacted his decisionmaking.

The Chief Justice said: "These were matters within his control and although his MDD was a causative factor that led to the killing, these other factors contributed significantly to the killing, by making him more callous and desensitising him to what his eventual plan would entail.”

He also noticed the offended gave no thought to his victim prior to the crime and during, and was "indifferent to whoever it might be who came into the toilet at the relevant time.”

Other observations the judges made was the offender’s researching of weapons and ensuring the axe he procured was sharp enough and his apparent glee, displayed in poetry he posted, about the possibility of perpetrating murders in school.

The court’s observations however did not mean that the judges also found it unlikely that rehabilitation or redemption was impossible.

As the Chief Justice concluded, "It appears that (he) has already commenced his rehabilitation in prison, and there is no reason why he cannot continue to do so there.”

If you are lonely, distressed, or having negative thoughts, Befrienders offers free and confidential support 24 hours a day. A full list of Befrienders contact numbers and state operating hours is available here: www.befrienders.org.my/centre-in-malaysia. There are also free hotlines for young people: Talian Kasih at 15999 (24/7); Talian BuddyBear at 1800-18-2327(BEAR)(daily 12pm-12am); Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service (03-2935 9935 or 014-322 3392); and Jakim’s Family, Social and Community Care Centre (WhatsApp 0111-959 8214).