The pair said in their written submissions that they had discharged their counsel as they had financial difficulties.
Tay said in his submissions that he prayed for the court to give him and his wife a chance to correct themselves.
"Both myself and my spouse humbly and sincerely seek the honourable court to kindly review our case with mercy and leniency, as we are both first-time offenders," he wrote. "And being local Singaporeans all our lives, we have always been (observing) the laws and respectful of its systems."
He wrote that the past six or more years had been "traumatising and devastating" for him and his wife.
"We have lost our career, our jobs, our income and savings, our reputation and health," he said. "We are also very guilt-stricken on the burden we have imposed on my old aged parents."