Probation for teen who had over 1,200 sexually explicit images and videos of children

Shaffiq Alkhatib
The Straits Times
Jun 13, 2023

A teenager, who once had 1,282 sexually explicit images and videos of children in his possession, was sentenced to 18 months’ probation on Tuesday.

As part of his probation, the 19-year-old has to remain indoors from 10pm to 6am every day, perform 100 hours of community service and attend offence-specific counselling.

His stepfather was also bonded for $5,000 to ensure his good behaviour.

In December 2022, the teenager pleaded guilty to one count of being in possession of child abuse material.

He cannot be named as he was just 16 years old in April 2020 when he was caught in a raid. Those below 18 are protected under the Children and Young Persons Act.

The raid was conducted after the international law enforcement agency Interpol Ottawa in Canada alerted Singapore police about a local Internet protocol (IP) address linked to the transmission of child sexual abuse material.

In September 2019, the offender downloaded Canada-based messaging platform Kik onto his phone as he was bored.

He started communicating with a random Kik user who asked him if he watched pornography involving minors.

The user sent a link to him and gave him instructions on how to download the pornographic material.

The teen then downloaded numerous sexually explicit videos and images, including those involving children.

He knew that being in possession of child pornography is a criminal offence, said the prosecution.

Some time between September and November 2019, he sent one such obscene image to another Kik user, and was suspended from the platform.

“He panicked and immediately uninstalled the application from the phone, but did not delete the pornographic material that he had downloaded,” Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Jun Chong said during proceedings in 2022.

In November 2019, Interpol Ottawa told Singapore police about the local IP address linked to the obscene image that the teenager had sent.

Officers raided his home on April 29, 2020, and found incriminating material on his phone.