Youth Got Probation & Banned from Having Any Image-Capturing Device for Molestation & Taking Illicit Videos

Ever since the Monica Baey incident in NUS, the penalties imposed on offenders of sexual misconduct have been under the spotlight.

In 2019, Nicholas Lim, the student who filmed Baey in the shower at Eusoff Hall student residence, was given a 12-month conditional warning by the police and suspended from NUS for a semester.

The incident, and other similar occurrences, has raised questions on what punishments are commensurate with sexual offences.

Despite more and more young offenders getting caught and punished for their misdeeds, some youths continue to indulge in their perverse desires.

Molested Woman at Condo Gym

This particular incident took place on 17 March last year, and involved a 39-year-old woman.

The perpetrator, who cannot be named, was aged between 17 and 18 at the time.

On that day, the accused noticed the woman at a gym at their condominium complex on his way to a toilet nearby.

The woman had been working out there as part of her daily exercise and had opened entrance’s door to circulate the air before running on the treadmill.

After spotting the woman, the teenager went inside the gym and pretended to look at the equipment there while stealing glances at her.

At the time, the woman was listening to music while running on the treadmill and didn’t suspect anything amiss.

Feeling aroused, the teenager went closer to the victim to smell her. He then bent down and leaned forward to place his face very close to the woman’s buttocks, which caused his face to touch the victim’s buttocks.

The woman quickly turned around, shocked, and the teenager apologised and left the gym in a hurry.

The woman later told her husband about the incident and they lodged a report at Pasir Ris Neighbourhood Police Centre.

Caught Filming Female Schoolmate in Toilet

A year earlier in May, the youth was in his school’s men’s toilet after taking a shower when he heard voices coming from the women’s toilet nearby.

He then went inside the toilet and placed his phone underneath the door of a cubicle to record a video.

He fled when seen by a female student in an opposite cubicle. The student later reported the incident to the teacher.

When caught, the teen admitted to doing the same thing a few months earlier.

Give 1.5 Years Probation

For his offences, the now 20-year-old youth was sentenced yesterday (11 Oct) to one-and-a-half years’ probation.

As part of his punishment, he will also have to:

• remain indoors from 10pm to 6am
• perform 60 hours of community service
• attend treatment programmes for his sexual offences

He’s also been banned from having any image-capturing device unless approved by his probation officer.

Who Gets Probation?

According to Singapore Legal Advice,  there are several factors that the court will consider when deciding whether to grant probation, including:

• the nature and severity of the offence
• your character
• a Pre-Sentence Report (PSR) prepared by the Probation Officer containing background information on the offender’s family, education/work, social activity, and attitude

It’s usually offered to first-time offenders between the ages of 16 and 20.

Since probation is not considered a conviction, the offence will not be on the offender’s criminal record, as long as they don’t re-offend.

They can also continue with their education and employment while on probation, which typically ranges from six months to three years.

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