18 months' jail for 'predatory' man who offered 11-year-old boy money for sex act, among other offences
A file photograph of the State Courts.
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- Kenneth Milana Tan You Koon pleaded guilty to a charge of offering an 11-year-old boy money to perform a sex act, among others
- Tan, 28, showed pornography to the boy he met at a friend's condominium
- He then twice offered to pay the boy money for a sexual act
- A second victim was filmed by Tan without his consent while engaged in a sexual act with Tan
- Tan was sentenced to 18 months' jail
SINGAPORE — After visiting a friend at a condominium, Kenneth Milana Tan You Koon took a walk in the area and came upon an 11-year-old boy. He showed the boy pornography then twice offered him money if he performed a sexual act.
A few months after his arrest for that offence, a second victim lodged a police report against Tan for recording videos of him without his consent of the pair engaged in a sexual act, then leaking the videos online.
On Wednesday (May 24), the 28-year-old pleaded guilty to one charge of attempting to obtain sexual services from a minor and one charge of intentionally recording a private act without consent, as well as two drug-related charges.
Six other related charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.
Tan was sentenced to 18 months' jail by a district court judge who agreed with the prosecution that his conduct in relation to the boy was "predatory".
Due to a court order, the names of the victims and the locations where the offences occurred cannot be published to protect the victims' identities.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Chong Yong said that on the evening of Dec 31, 2021, Tan was visiting a friend for dinner when he noticed the 11-year-old victim walking alone towards a minimart located in the condominium.
He asked the boy his name and age. The boy gave a fake name and told Tan that he was aged 11.
After learning that the boy was headed to the minimart, Tan asked him to follow him to a nearby bathroom where he could show him "something". The boy refused.
Tan waited to approach the boy again after he came out of the minimart.
Despite the boy's attempts to walk away, Tan walked with him and took out his mobile phone to show the boy a video of two naked men engaged in a sexual act.
Tan pointed to his mobile phone screen and asked the boy: "Will you do this for me?"
Tan first offered the boy S$50 to do what he wanted, then S$100. The boy refused both times.
The boy returned to his unit and immediately reported the incident to his father, who went back with his son to look for Tan.
They spotted Tan trying to flee by climbing over the condominium gate. He was then detained by the condominium's security personnel and arrested by the police.
During police investigations, Tan admitted that he intended to "lure" the 11-year-old into performing a sexual act by offering him money.
Tan agreed that if the boy had accepted, he would have taken the boy to the nearby toilet to guide him on what to do.
Investigations also revealed that on Dec 13, 2021, Tan proposed to engage in a sexual act with a second victim, a former secondary school mate, now aged 28.
While they were engaged in the act, he held his mobile phone with the screen facing towards him and recorded the scene without the victim's consent.
After that, the victim got suspicious and asked Tan if he had recorded any videos.
Tan denied doing so but eventually admitted that he had, but said that he would delete the videos.
DPP Chong said that shortly after their encounter, the former schoolmate received calls and messages from an unknown person claiming to be Tan's boyfriend.
The person forwarded a video of Tan engaging in a sexual act with the man.
The victim made a police report on May 23 last year, when he learnt that the video had been circulating on social media. The circumstances of Tan's arrest were not stated in court documents.
The court heard that Tan had also used the illegal drug methamphetamine, also known as "ice", on two occasions in July and December last year.
Seeking a lighter sentence, defence lawyer Nirmal Singh from Crossborders LLC urged the court to consider that this was Tan's first brush with the law and it has been a "very harsh experience".
Mr Singh also said that consideration should be made to the charges, especially with the 11-year-old, since it was "an attempt" and Tan should not be on the "same plane" as someone who has committed the act.
In delivering his sentence, District Judge Chay Yuen Fatt disagreed with the defence and said that even though it was an attempt, it should be remembered that the victim "was only 11".
The judge agreed with the prosecution as well that Tan had exhibited "predatory behaviour" and was "quite persistent" in his actions.
Anyone found guilty of attempting to obtain the sexual services of a person who is below 18 years old can be jailed for up to seven years or fined, or both.
Those who intentionally record another person doing a private act without consent can be jailed for up to two years with a fine or with caning, or any combination of these punishments.
