Male teacher allegedly molested pupil repeatedly after boy confided in him about family issues
A male teacher who was in charge of a uniformed group in a primary school is said to have repeatedly molested a boy from the co-curricular activity after the child confided in him about his family problems.
The man, 43, is now on trial and is facing five counts of molestation involving the boy who was about 11 years old at the time.
A district court heard on Monday (June 13) that the offences allegedly occurred in school in 2017 and 2018.
Details about the man and the school cannot be disclosed due to a gag order to protect the boy's identity.
In an earlier statement, the Ministry of Education said the man had been suspended from duty since November 2018 when police investigations started.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Lim Ying Min and Angela Ang stated in court documents that the boy joined the uniformed group in 2016.
He started confiding in the man about his family problems the following year.
The DPPs said: "The accused was aware that the victim's parents are divorced, and the victim stayed with his mother and stepfather. The accused was also aware that the victim's relationship with his stepfather was not good.
"The victim's stepfather would beat the victim and the victim would sometimes turn up in school with bruises."
According to court documents, the teacher allegedly touched the boy's private parts over the latter's shorts in a room for heads of department in November 2017.
The man is said to have committed a similar act on the child four more times between March and October 2018.
On Nov 13, 2018, the boy lodged a police report, stating that he had been molested.
Officers arrested the man on July 8 last year and he was later charged in court.
The trial continues and the man is represented by lawyer Gino Hardial Singh.
For each count of molesting a child below 14 years old, an offender can be jailed for up to five years and fined or caned.
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