Male teacher molested former pupil who had become his 'godson' during sleepover

Shaffiq Alkhatib
The Straits Times
Jul 12, 2021

A male teacher who remained close to one of his former pupils after the boy left primary school ended up molesting the 12-year-old during a sleepover.

The boy was also his "godson" whom he had supported financially.

On Monday (July 12), District Judge John Ng found the man guilty of two counts of molestation following a trial.

The Singaporean, now 36, was also convicted of one count of attempted molestation.

He had been suspended from service since July 2017 and no longer teaches in any school.

Details about the man, the boy and the school cannot be revealed because of a gag order.

The man used to be the victim's Primary 6 form teacher who taught the class English, mathematics and science in 2016.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Lim Ying Min said the pair had a "normal teacher-student relationship" at the time.

However, they met outside the school three times that year.

On one occasion, the man took the boy and his friend to Universal Studios Singapore theme park. On the boy's birthday, the man surprised him with a cake and a present.

The DPP said: "After the release of his PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination) results, the accused went to the victim's house to help him with his selection of secondary school... It was around this period of time that the victim and the accused grew closer.

"Throughout 2016, it was undisputed that the accused played a huge role in motivating the victim in his studies."

The court also heard that the boy had been raised by a single mother and he never had a father figure in his life before the teacher came into his life.

The boy agreed to become the teacher's godson in early 2017 as he felt the man was "sincere" and cared for him.

The pair grew close and texted each other every day. The man also supported the boy financially.

The boy eventually went to the man's flat for a sleepover during the 2017 June school holidays.

The DPP told the court: "Unfortunately, the sleepover turned into the proverbial house of horror when the accused sexually violated him."

The man touched the boy's private parts twice on June 15 that year and tried to commit a similar offence against him the next day.

When he got back home, the boy told his mother what had happened and said he wanted to report the matter to the police.

But the mother stopped him from doing so.

The boy finally told a school counsellor when classes resumed on June 27 that year, and the police were alerted.

The man's bail was set at $15,000 on Monday and he will be sentenced on Aug 19.

For each count of molesting a child below the age of 14, an offender can be jailed for up to five years and fined or caned.

The Straits Times

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