Teacher admits to performing indecent acts on student, 15
Man committed at least two offences in a room in school
She was a student in a top school here and the head of a co-curricular activity (CCA), and he was the teacher-in-charge.
The man was also in charge of an advanced class she attended, and they grew close, eventually entering into a relationship despite a 22-year age difference.
On four occasions in 2011, while they were on school premises, the man committed indecent acts on the girl, who was 15 at the time - hugging her, pressing his body against hers, and touching her.
The illicit relationship came to light in 2018 when she told another teacher about it, and the man, now 46, was yesterday convicted of two offences under the Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA).
He pleaded guilty on what was meant to be his first day of trial. Two other CYPA offences were taken into consideration. It was not said in court why the victim broke her silence.
The man, who cannot be named due to a gag order on the girl's identity, was transferred to the school in 2009 and taught the girl's class the year after.
They started sharing personal matters, meeting for coffee in and out of school. By the end of February 2011, they were in a relationship, holding hands when alone in school.
"At all material times, the accused knew the victim was 15 years of age," Deputy Public Prosecutor Asoka Markandu told District Judge Eddy Tham.
At least two of the offences were committed in a room allocated to the CCA's committee.
Sometime between March and May 2011, he grabbed the girl's wrists, lifted them above her, pressed his body against hers and said, "I can do anything now."
He let go after 15 seconds. The girl did not react but recalled feeling confused and embarrassed, said the DPP.
On another occasion, he touched the girl's inner thigh and private parts. She was surprised and did not know how to react to his advances.
After the June holidays that year, he broke up with her, but they remained in touch even after the girl left school.
EATING DISORDER
She returned in 2014 as a relief teacher and began showing signs of an eating disorder. By November 2016, she ceased all contact with the man.
Then in August 2018, she told another teacher at the school about the relationship. The matter was escalated to the principal, who made a police report on her behalf.
The man was no longer employed by the Education Ministry then.
The case was yesterday adjourned for four weeks, pending psychiatric reports on the victim and the man. The prosecution will also submit a victim impact statement.
The man is out on $10,000 bail. For each CYPA offence, he can be fined up to $5,000, jailed for up to two years, or both.
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