Ex-teacher jailed 21 months for sexually assaulting schoolgirl, 12
Reuters file photo
SINGAPORE — A former primary school Chinese language teacher was today (Feb 15) sentenced to 21 months’ jail for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old student a week after he met her through online mobile apps in 2014.
Du Tao, 35, was found guilty of sexually penetrating the victim with his fingers and for committing an indecent act with a minor on March 8, 2014. Another two charges of committing and attempting to procure an indecent act were taken into consideration during sentencing.
District Judge Eddy Tham said that despite knowing that the victim was a primary school student, Du “actively preyed on her”, even though he noted that Du did not commit the act under the authority as a teacher or during his course of work, and there was nothing to indicate that the victim knew he was a teacher before the relationship or abuse. He added that given the victim’s young age, Du’s offences would have caused her greater emotional and psychological harm.
The court heard that the former teacher met the victim, who cannot be named to protect the minor’s identity, over an online app called Meipai. As the victim had posted her WeChat username online, Du added her contact details and started to chat with her. She told him that she was 13 years old and had sent him photographs of herself dressed in her primary school uniform. The victim addressed Du as “Daddy”, while he called her “nu er” (daughter in Chinese).
At that time, Du was teaching Chinese language to Primary 3 students at a school in the north of Singapore, but the victim was from a different school.
Feeling “bored” after a gathering with her friends was called off on the day of the incident, the victim invited Du to her home. At her place, he suddenly hugged her from behind and they started kissing. He then committed indecent acts with her, until police came knocking after a tip-off.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Selene Yap said today that in his chats with the victim, Du had been “explicit in his lewd desire to engage in sexual acts” with the girl, and there was an element of moral corruption, because he had on many occasions taught the sexually inexperienced victim how to have sex, perform oral sex, or got her to show photos of her private parts.
In mitigation, Du’s lawyer Jenny Lai said the accused felt “deeply remorseful”. He had also lost his job after holding a “remarkable track record” in the teaching profession, she added. Du was very apologetic to the victim and her family and has stopped using these social chat rooms, she said.
The Education Ministry told TODAY that Du left the service shortly after the case was reported. “We do not tolerate educators who misconduct themselves. Educators are expected to uphold the highest professional standards,” its spokesperson said.
For sexual penetration of a minor, Du could have been jailed up to 10 years or fined or both. For committing an indecent act with a minor, he could have been fined up to S$10,000 or jailed up to five years or both.
