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Japanese teacher who took upskirt video aboard MRT train jailed 24 days

When Yamamoto Shohei noticed that the 25-year-old victim had caught on to his actions, he alighted from the train. (Yahoo News Singapore file photo)
When Yamamoto Shohei noticed that the 25-year-old victim had caught on to his actions, he alighted from the train. (Yahoo News Singapore file photo)

SINGAPORE — A 33-year-old Japanese man working as a teacher at an education centre here took an upskirt video of a commuter on board an MRT train, a court heard.

When Yamamoto Shohei noticed that the 25-year-old victim had caught on to his actions, he alighted from the train. The victim then followed him and demanded to check his phone, but Shohei ran away.

He was eventually tracked by the police and at the State Courts on Monday (30 December), Shohei was jailed for 24 days and fined $15,000. He pleaded guilty to one charge each of insulting a woman’s modesty and having pornographic films on his laptop.

Placed device on briefcase

On the morning of 29 June, Shohei boarded a train along the North East MRT line. He spotted the victim and decided to take an upskirt video of her.

He then moved close to the victim and placed his Samsung smartphone on top of his briefcase, with its camera facing upwards. He then shifted his briefcase to position it beneath the victim’s skirt as the train approached the Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station.

The victim felt a brush on her left calf and looked down to see the Shohei’s briefcase and smartphone. She then looked up to see Shohei picking up the briefcase.

He immediately alighted at the station, and the victim went after him. When she demanded to check his smartphone, Shohei ran away.

The victim tried to chase after him but couldn’t catch up. She then reported the matter to staff at the station, who then called the police.

When policemen arrested Shohei, he admitted to taking the upskirt video and deleting it. His phone was sent for a forensic examination but investigators were unable to recover the video.

Investigators also found 30 pornographic films on his laptop.

If Shohei fails to pay the $15,000 fine, he will have to spend another 20 days behind bars.

The maximum punishment for insulting the modesty of a woman is up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

For possession of obscene films, the maximum penalty is a fine of up to $20,000 and up to six months’ jail.

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