Probation for teen who did sex acts on fellow male resident of children’s home

SINGAPORE — A male teenager who performed sex acts on his younger male friend when they were staying at the same children’s home was given 18 months’ probation on Tuesday (Sept 18).

In sentencing the teen, who turned 18 earlier this month, District Judge Eddy Tham called his behaviour “totally inappropriate” and told him not to repeat his offences. He had committed them while on probation for a similar offence.

The teen pleaded guilty last month to two counts of sexual penetration of a minor, with a third charge taken into consideration for sentencing. Both he and his victim — who were 16 years old and 14 years old, respectively, at the time of the offences — cannot be named due to a court gag order to protect their identities.

The incident took place in an unnamed children's home on Oct 9, 2016 around 10pm. The two teens were alone in the living room of the children's home they were residing in, discussing their relationships with other male friends.

The victim, then a Secondary Two student, had his prayer book with him, and wanted to resume praying.

Noticing that his victim was crawling on all fours towards him, the older teen approached him and touched the younger boy's private parts.

Emboldened by the lack of resistance, he yanked his victim's pants down and performed a few sex acts.

The next day, when the younger teen left for school, the older teen — then a Secondary Three student — followed him. They went to Serangoon bus interchange together.

The older teen led the younger boy into a toilet on the second floor of Nex shopping mall, which was located above the bus interchange. There, they went into the same cubicle, where the older teen molested the younger boy, and performed sexual acts on him.

The whole episode lasted 30 seconds.

Later that evening, the home's head of social work department called the police to report what had happened. Court documents did not reveal how he knew, or who had told him about the incidents.

District Judge Tham ordered the older teen to perform four months of intensive probation and 14 months of supervised probation. He will be placed on the Electronic Monitoring Scheme for four months, or till his enlistment for National Service.

He also has to remain indoors from 10pm till 6am, perform 40 hours of community service, and comply with psychological treatment as and when required.

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