Former Bubble Tea Shop Owner Accused of Molesting 2 Employees Who Were 16 & 17 Then

A bubble tea store is supposed to be a safe haven from the pressures and anxieties of life.

Unfortunately for two girls, it turned out to be a place where they were allegedly taken advantage of instead.

Former Bubble Tea Shop Owner Accused of Molesting 2 Employees Who Were 16 & 17 Then

A former bubble tea shop owner is on trial for allegedly molesting two teenage female employees in 2017.

The two employees were secondary school classmates, aged 16 and 17 at the time, according to TODAYonline.

It all started on 12 Nov 2017, when the 16-year-old was making drinks. Tan allegedly grabbed and squeezed her buttocks, the girl said.

She was shocked, but thought it could have been an accident.

“I thought it would come off wrongly… if I made it sound like it was an issue. And I was scared because he was my boss,” she said.

The second time, Tan asked her to make a new drink, and slapped and grabbed her buttocks for a few seconds after he tasted the drink.

The 16-year-old girl later realised that the incidents may not have been accidental, as Tan called her “baby” over text, even after she told him off for it.

As for the third allegation, the girl said she was experiencing back pain, so Tan offered to show her a “back-cracking technique”. They two were alone in the store at the time.

He then put his arms around her, and persisted in doing so even though the 16-year-old girl kept pushing him away.

Two days later, she told both her friend and the store manager what happened, and they advised her to lodge a police report, which she did.

Allegedly Molested Friend as Well

In the same month, Tan allegedly brushed against the 17-year-old girl’s buttocks six times on unspecified dates.

Tan, however, has accused the 16-year-old of colluding with her classmate to get Tan into trouble.

Tan apparently failed to pay the girl’s salary for that month, and only did so when her father met him.

Lawyer Accused Victims of Collusion

Tan’s defence lawyer, Chia Boon Teck, pointed out to the 16-year-old that on 12 Nov 2017, when the first alleged incident happened, records showed she was off work that day.

The girl conceded that she may have mixed up 11 and 12 Nov, and said she previously told the police that she was molested on 11 Nov.

The lawyer then accused the girl of fabricating the first allegation and exaggerating the other offences.

The girl disagreed.

The lawyer also accused her of colluding with her friend to get Tan in trouble.

However, the 16-year-old pointed out that until last year, she did not know her friend had also lodged a police report against Tan.

Her friend had made a report four days after the first victim lodged hers.

When the 16-year-old asked the lawyer why they would collude to get Tan into trouble, he replied: “The motive would be best known to yourself. We are equally mystified.

“It is too much of a coincidence for a police report to be four days apart, for allegations to be exactly the same (of touching buttocks) and you say you didn’t know anything about it.”

The lawyer said he finds it hard to believe that the girl did not tell her parents about the purported molestation, but told them about not getting her salary.

In response, the girl explained that she was not close to her parents.

She also said that the salary dispute only arose after she made the police report.

The trial will continue today (14 Oct), and the second alleged victim will take the stand.

By the way, don’t worry: the bubble tea shop no longer exists today.