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SINGAPORE: A former swim coach was jailed 10 months on Friday (May 5) for committing an obscene act with a 12-year-old boy at the Hougang Swimming Complex more than two years ago.
Tan Koek Seng, now 68, was found guilty in April after a four-day trial. His defence was that it was the victim who had approached him and asked him to masturbate him in the male changing room on Feb 8, 2015.
At trial, Tan said he rejected the victim’s “offer”, despite admitting to the act in two statements he had earlier given to police investigators.
As the victim and his mother refused to testify – not wanting to relive the trauma – Tan was convicted largely based on his own admissions to the police, after he failed to challenge the accuracy of his statements which were given four months apart.
Tan has since been stripped of his swim coach license and is currently unemployed.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Chee Ee Ling had urged the court to sentence Tan to at least 15 months’ jail, calling him “a menace to society”.
As a coach at a public swimming complex, Tan had “regular contact with young boys”, she said, adding that “there is a public interest in protecting children attending lessons at public facilities from unwanted sexual advances."
She also pointed out Tan deserved a high sentence because he was “unremorseful” and “took the court process lightly”. He had indicated he would plead guilty to the charge but changed his mind thrice, each time qualifying the plea.
Tan also had “ample opportunity to correct or clarify” his confessions, but he did not do so until he was put on trial, DPP Chee pointed out.
For committing an obscene act with a child, Tan could have been jailed for up to five years and/or fined up to S$10,000.
Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news...ths-for-obscene-act-with-young-boy-at-8821604
Tan Koek Seng, now 68, was found guilty in April after a four-day trial. His defence was that it was the victim who had approached him and asked him to masturbate him in the male changing room on Feb 8, 2015.
At trial, Tan said he rejected the victim’s “offer”, despite admitting to the act in two statements he had earlier given to police investigators.
As the victim and his mother refused to testify – not wanting to relive the trauma – Tan was convicted largely based on his own admissions to the police, after he failed to challenge the accuracy of his statements which were given four months apart.
Tan has since been stripped of his swim coach license and is currently unemployed.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Chee Ee Ling had urged the court to sentence Tan to at least 15 months’ jail, calling him “a menace to society”.
As a coach at a public swimming complex, Tan had “regular contact with young boys”, she said, adding that “there is a public interest in protecting children attending lessons at public facilities from unwanted sexual advances."
She also pointed out Tan deserved a high sentence because he was “unremorseful” and “took the court process lightly”. He had indicated he would plead guilty to the charge but changed his mind thrice, each time qualifying the plea.
Tan also had “ample opportunity to correct or clarify” his confessions, but he did not do so until he was put on trial, DPP Chee pointed out.
For committing an obscene act with a child, Tan could have been jailed for up to five years and/or fined up to S$10,000.
Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news...ths-for-obscene-act-with-young-boy-at-8821604
