Sammyboy Forum member filmed women in toilet with hidden camera, had 2,103 obscene videos at home

A 26-year-old man pleaded guilty on Aug 23 to 30 counts of insulting a woman's modesty and one count of being in possession of 2,103 obscene films for the purpose of distribution.

Forty-five other charges for similar offences will also be considered during sentencing.

Digital marketing specialist Clarence Tang Jia Ming, 26, had installed a hook-shaped hidden camera in the unisex toilet of a cafe in Holland Village and recorded several videos of unsuspecting women, reports The Straits Times.

He also installed the device in his Loyang Rise home to record a video of a female friend showering.

Tang had committed the offences between 2014 and 2016 and is the fifth and last man to be convicted in a case involving online groups that shared voyeuristic videos taken with hidden cameras in places such as public toilets and changing rooms.

The others, who were all members of Sammyboy Forum, are: customer service officer Ong Yi Jie, 27; former sales engineer Joel Chew Weichen, 27; fund accountant Shaun Lee, 29; and former security guard Ali V. P. Mohamed, 46.

Tang had created an account on the forum, a sex-themed online site that contained hundreds of threads circulating obscene material, in 2009 and five years later, he chanced upon a thread posted by Ong containing hidden-camera films he had recorded.

Tang subsequently told Ong that he also wanted to make such videos after the two started communicating via private messages.

They met at the Holland Village cafe where Ong taught him how to install the hook-shaped hidden camera in the toilet.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Li Yihong told District Judge Ng Cheng Thiam: "Kenneth taught the accused... that there was a particular wall tile on which the camera should be pasted so as to get the best viewing angles.

"Before they parted company, Kenneth gave a hook camera to the accused for his use, which (Tang) accepted."

Following the meeting, Tang went to the cafe and installed the camera to record clips of his victims. He also installed the device in his home and filmed a friend taking a shower.

The court heard that his reason for choosing that particular cafe was because it was patronised by many 18 to 25-year-old women.

"Should his videos capture males, or females who looked older than 25 years old, the accused would delete those videos," said Ms Li.

"The videos captured by the hook cam were also in colour, and of very high quality and resolution. Numerous videos filmed by the accused captured various victims in their school uniform, school attire or organisational attire."

Police raided Tang's home 18 days later and seized two external hard drives containing the 2,103 obscene films, among other items.

He is now out on bail of $15,000. The pre-trial conference for his case will take place on Sept 4.

Read the full story on The Straits Times.