Jail, caning for ex-principal who molested 7 at-risk schoolboys
Taylor Wilcox/Unsplash
His seven victims were aged 13 to 15 when he committed the offences in 2017.
The 48-year-old Singaporean man pleaded guilty in August to three charges of outrage of modesty involving three boys. He had wanted to contest the charges at first.
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Another eight similar charges, including those related to the other four boys, were taken into consideration for sentencing by District Judge Edgar Foo.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the victims’ identities, has not worked for the Ministry of Education since January 2018.
Ex-principal pleads guilty to molesting seven schoolboys with disciplinary issues
The secondary school, located in the north-eastern region of Singapore, cannot be named either.
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Between August and October 2017, the principal abused his authority to commit a spate of sexual offences against the students, Deputy Public Prosecutors Sruthi Boppana and Mark Yeo said.
These students were all at-risk youth who faced problems within their families or had disciplinary records and were often called to the school’s general office to serve detention or to have disciplinary action meted out against them.
The prinicpal would take these students into his office, close the door and touch them on their arms and thighs while talking to them.
He then moved to other acts such as pinching their private parts over their shorts or sliding his hands into their underwear to touch their private parts.
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The principal’s offences were discovered after two victims reported the matter to staff members of the school.
‘EDUCATION SYSTEM BROUGHT INTO DISREPUTE’
In sentencing on Tuesday, District Judge Foo noted that the principal's offence was not a brief touch of the victims’ genitals — he had fondled one victim for about a minute.
He added that the charges also involved more than one victim.
The prosecution highlighted the authority the principal had over the boys.
Not only were the students unable to refuse the principal’s invitation to enter his office, they were powerless to resist him when he molested them.
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“Offences committed by senior educators against their students are especially egregious because such persons are expected to care for and nurture those under their watch,” the prosecutors wrote in their sentencing submissions.
As it was, the victims’ disciplinary records made them less likely to be believed by other staff members when reporting the principal’s actions.
“Offences committed by (senior educators) bring the entire education system into disrepute, and adversely affect the trust that parents place in the education system and the people who run it,” they added.
Defence lawyers Gurdip Singh and Benjamin Sew admitted that the principal had abused his position of trust.
Seeking a 17-months’ jail sentence, the lawyers argued that in two of the three charges, the offence was “brief and fleeting”.
They added that the man was a former top government scholar who had won many awards as an educator and “is deeply remorseful for having committed the offences”.
For each charge of molesting a minor under 14, the former principal could have been jailed up to five years, fined or caned, or given any combination of the three.
For each charge of molesting those aged 14 or older, he could have been put behind bars for up to two years, fined or caned, or punished with any combination of the three.
- A principal was sentenced to jail and caning for molesting boys aged 13 to 15
- These students were at-risk youth with family problems or disciplinary records
- They were called into the school’s general office to serve detention or to have disciplinary action meted out against them
His seven victims were aged 13 to 15 when he committed the offences in 2017.
The 48-year-old Singaporean man pleaded guilty in August to three charges of outrage of modesty involving three boys. He had wanted to contest the charges at first.
Story Continues Below Advertisement
Another eight similar charges, including those related to the other four boys, were taken into consideration for sentencing by District Judge Edgar Foo.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the victims’ identities, has not worked for the Ministry of Education since January 2018.
Ex-principal pleads guilty to molesting seven schoolboys with disciplinary issues
The secondary school, located in the north-eastern region of Singapore, cannot be named either.
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Between August and October 2017, the principal abused his authority to commit a spate of sexual offences against the students, Deputy Public Prosecutors Sruthi Boppana and Mark Yeo said.
These students were all at-risk youth who faced problems within their families or had disciplinary records and were often called to the school’s general office to serve detention or to have disciplinary action meted out against them.
The prinicpal would take these students into his office, close the door and touch them on their arms and thighs while talking to them.
He then moved to other acts such as pinching their private parts over their shorts or sliding his hands into their underwear to touch their private parts.
Former director of East Asian Institute hugged colleague without consent, acted inappropriately, NUS inquiry finds
The principal’s offences were discovered after two victims reported the matter to staff members of the school.
‘EDUCATION SYSTEM BROUGHT INTO DISREPUTE’
In sentencing on Tuesday, District Judge Foo noted that the principal's offence was not a brief touch of the victims’ genitals — he had fondled one victim for about a minute.
He added that the charges also involved more than one victim.
The prosecution highlighted the authority the principal had over the boys.
Not only were the students unable to refuse the principal’s invitation to enter his office, they were powerless to resist him when he molested them.
Ex-national footballer gets jail, fine for molesting friend of Tinder date
“Offences committed by senior educators against their students are especially egregious because such persons are expected to care for and nurture those under their watch,” the prosecutors wrote in their sentencing submissions.
As it was, the victims’ disciplinary records made them less likely to be believed by other staff members when reporting the principal’s actions.
“Offences committed by (senior educators) bring the entire education system into disrepute, and adversely affect the trust that parents place in the education system and the people who run it,” they added.
Defence lawyers Gurdip Singh and Benjamin Sew admitted that the principal had abused his position of trust.
Seeking a 17-months’ jail sentence, the lawyers argued that in two of the three charges, the offence was “brief and fleeting”.
They added that the man was a former top government scholar who had won many awards as an educator and “is deeply remorseful for having committed the offences”.
For each charge of molesting a minor under 14, the former principal could have been jailed up to five years, fined or caned, or given any combination of the three.
For each charge of molesting those aged 14 or older, he could have been put behind bars for up to two years, fined or caned, or punished with any combination of the three.
