Man who secretly filmed 253 obscene videos of women jailed 3 years
He was adept at installing hidden cameras and used the skill to record hundreds of videos of women undressing or relieving themselves.
The customer service officer put the cameras in locations such as the toilets in cafes, schools, offices and a church as well as bathrooms and changing rooms in fashion outlets. He shared the videos in various sex-themed forums and groups and taught others how to make them.
On Tuesday, Ong Yi Jie, 27, was jailed three years by the State Courts after admitting to 40 counts of insulting the modesty of women, and one count of possessing obscene films.
The court heard that Ong became a member of sex-themed forum Sammyboy in 2013. From there, he learned how to use spy and hidden cameras and became interested to try them. He bought a hidden camera in the shape of a wall hook and began using it to film a number of women secretly in various places.
Ong received money from another Sammyboy forum user to buy additional cameras to make more of such videos and exchange the videos with the user. Ong also taught another user how to make such videos.
Between 2013 and 2016, Ong filmed a total of 253 videos of women in various states of undress in locations including the kitchen toilet of his own home.
Calling this the “worst case ever” brought before the courts, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Tang Shangjun sought a total sentence of 39 months.
DPP Tang said there was a violation of multiple victims’ dignity and privacy. Ong knew how to place cameras such that they captured victims’ genital areas and faces in high definition. Calling him a “persistent offender, Tang pointed out that Ong actively shared the videos in online forums.
In mitigation, Ong’s lawyer Roy Yeo said his client suffers from a voyeuristic disorder that he did not seek treatment for. “Because it was not treated, he’s gone about doing things which he now has to answer for,” said Yeo, who asked for a total jail term of 18 months.
In response, Tang stressed that a voyeuristic disorder was not an excuse for committing the offences. He said there was clear evidence that Ong was in control of his actions because he asked for money to buy new cameras and could share with others his know-how.
District Judge Chay Yuen Fatt said there was no denying this was one of the worst cases brought before the courts and agreed with the prosecution on the severity of the offences.
A number of Ong’s videos were found in an online group that shared voyeuristic videos of semi-nude and partially undressed women. On 31 January, the founder of the group, Ali V P Mohamed, 46, was given the maximum two years’ jail and fined $80,000.
