SINGAPORE: A trainee teacher deployed to a school as part of his training programme with the National Institute of Education (NIE) struck up a romantic relationship with a student 11 years his junior.
He became her private tutor, and the 15-year-old girl began sneaking out of her house at night to stay with him several times a week.
The 27-year-old man, who has since lost his prospects of becoming a teacher, was sentenced to 16 months' jail on Tuesday (Jan 18).
He pleaded guilty to two charges of committing an indecent act on a young person, with another two charges taken into consideration. His identity and that of the victim are protected by a gag order.
The court heard that between February 2019 and November 2019, he was on attachment to an unidentified school.
The victim, who was 15 at the time, was in one of his classes. She and her schoolmates had asked the accused for help on a certain subject.
The accused began texting the victim, who would confide in him about her issues and seek his advice.
In end-November 2019, the victim sought permission from her parents to hire the accused as a private tutor. By then, the accused had completed his training programme.
He began conducting private lessons with the victim on a weekly basis - first in her home, then in his.
From December 2019 to January 2020, the victim began to sneak out of her house three to four times a week to spend the wee hours with the accused.
She would wait for her family members to go to bed before leaving her home and remain in his bedroom until about 4am, when he would book a GrabCar to take her home before her family woke up.
They watched movies, chatted, played games, cuddled and slept in the accused's bedroom. On at least 10 occasions, they engaged in sexually intimate activities such as kissing and fondling.
The accused knew that the victim was 15 and was "too young to make sound decisions about certain things", according to court documents. He also admitted that his relationship with her was "wrong on many levels" and viewed it as temporary, with an "expiration date". He also said he knew it would not be "right" or "fair" to leave his girlfriend for the victim.
On Feb 13, 2020, the girl's mother woke up at about 6.15am and realised that her daughter was not in her bedroom.
She called her daughter's phone but there was no answer. Sensing something amiss, she contacted the accused to ask about the victim's whereabouts.
The accused ignored her messages, responding only after the victim had left his house, and feigned ignorance.
The victim arrived home at about 7.50am that day but remained tight-lipped about where she had been. Eventually, she told her aunt that she had developed a liking for the accused and vice versa.
The victim's mother lodged a police report three days later.
The prosecutor asked for at least 16 months' jail, saying that the accused and the victim were in a teacher-student relationship.
"It must be strongly emphasised that teachers play a very important role in society in shaping their students' mind and their future. The integrity of the teaching profession and the trust placed on teachers in all their interactions with students is a serious matter and should never be taken lightly," he said.
He added that the victim was young and vulnerable, and in the accused's own words, "too young to make sound decisions about certain things".
Defence lawyer James Ow Yong said his client was "deeply remorseful for his poor choices", adding that it appeared the relationship was "mutual".
The accused grew up in a dysfunctional family and his parents are divorced, said Mr Ow Yong.
He has since lost his place and all prospects as a teacher, and works as a private-hire driver to support himself, said the lawyer.
In response, the prosecutor said an individual who breaches the law can and should expect the law to take its course.
The judge noted the abuse of trust in this case, as well as the two charges taken into consideration.
For committing an indecent act on a young person, the man could have been jailed up to five years, fined up to S$10,000, or both as a first-time offender.
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He became her private tutor, and the 15-year-old girl began sneaking out of her house at night to stay with him several times a week.
The 27-year-old man, who has since lost his prospects of becoming a teacher, was sentenced to 16 months' jail on Tuesday (Jan 18).
He pleaded guilty to two charges of committing an indecent act on a young person, with another two charges taken into consideration. His identity and that of the victim are protected by a gag order.
The court heard that between February 2019 and November 2019, he was on attachment to an unidentified school.
The victim, who was 15 at the time, was in one of his classes. She and her schoolmates had asked the accused for help on a certain subject.
The accused began texting the victim, who would confide in him about her issues and seek his advice.
In end-November 2019, the victim sought permission from her parents to hire the accused as a private tutor. By then, the accused had completed his training programme.
He began conducting private lessons with the victim on a weekly basis - first in her home, then in his.
From December 2019 to January 2020, the victim began to sneak out of her house three to four times a week to spend the wee hours with the accused.
She would wait for her family members to go to bed before leaving her home and remain in his bedroom until about 4am, when he would book a GrabCar to take her home before her family woke up.
They watched movies, chatted, played games, cuddled and slept in the accused's bedroom. On at least 10 occasions, they engaged in sexually intimate activities such as kissing and fondling.
The accused knew that the victim was 15 and was "too young to make sound decisions about certain things", according to court documents. He also admitted that his relationship with her was "wrong on many levels" and viewed it as temporary, with an "expiration date". He also said he knew it would not be "right" or "fair" to leave his girlfriend for the victim.
On Feb 13, 2020, the girl's mother woke up at about 6.15am and realised that her daughter was not in her bedroom.
She called her daughter's phone but there was no answer. Sensing something amiss, she contacted the accused to ask about the victim's whereabouts.
The accused ignored her messages, responding only after the victim had left his house, and feigned ignorance.
The victim arrived home at about 7.50am that day but remained tight-lipped about where she had been. Eventually, she told her aunt that she had developed a liking for the accused and vice versa.
The victim's mother lodged a police report three days later.
TEACHERS PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE: PROSECUTOR
The prosecutor asked for at least 16 months' jail, saying that the accused and the victim were in a teacher-student relationship.
"It must be strongly emphasised that teachers play a very important role in society in shaping their students' mind and their future. The integrity of the teaching profession and the trust placed on teachers in all their interactions with students is a serious matter and should never be taken lightly," he said.
He added that the victim was young and vulnerable, and in the accused's own words, "too young to make sound decisions about certain things".
Defence lawyer James Ow Yong said his client was "deeply remorseful for his poor choices", adding that it appeared the relationship was "mutual".
The accused grew up in a dysfunctional family and his parents are divorced, said Mr Ow Yong.
He has since lost his place and all prospects as a teacher, and works as a private-hire driver to support himself, said the lawyer.
In response, the prosecutor said an individual who breaches the law can and should expect the law to take its course.
The judge noted the abuse of trust in this case, as well as the two charges taken into consideration.
For committing an indecent act on a young person, the man could have been jailed up to five years, fined up to S$10,000, or both as a first-time offender.
Continue reading...