Former primary school teacher on trial for molesting 12-year-old boy
File photo of the State Courts in Singapore. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
SINGAPORE: A former primary school teacher went on trial on Monday (Aug 24) for molesting a 12-year-old boy twice and for trying to grope him.
The 35-year-old teacher, who has been suspended, cannot be named due to gag orders imposed by the court protecting the identity of the victim.
He is accused of using criminal force on the victim on the afternoon of Jun 15, 2017, by tapping his private parts over his shorts. On the same day, he allegedly inserted his hand into the boy's shorts and molested him.
He is accused of trying to molest the boy again in the early morning of the next day.
The man faces two other charges that have been stood down or set aside for this trial.
These two charges are for showing the same boy a pornographic video on his Macbook on Jun 15, 2017, and for voluntarily causing hurt to him in April 2017 by grabbing his wrists and slapping his cheek.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Education (MOE) told CNA that the man has been suspended from service since July 2017 and is no longer teaching in any school.
"MOE takes a serious view of staff misconduct and will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against those who fail to adhere to our standards of conduct and discipline, including dismissal from service," the MOE spokesperson said.
The trial continues. If convicted of outraging the boy's modesty, the man can be jailed for up to five years, fined, caned, or given any combination of these penalties.
