Nine weeks' jail for ex-school principal in underaged callgirl scandal
The former school principal of Pei Chun Public School has been sentenced to nine weeks' jail for having commercial sex with a minor.
Lee Lip Hong, 39, is the first man to be sentenced to jail in the underaged callgirl scandal after being the first of 48 men to plead guilty on Friday morning.
Dressed in a suit, Lee admitted in court to one of two charges of having paid $500 for sex with the girl, who was 17 at the time, at Hotel 81 Bencoolen in September 2010. The other charge has been considered for sentencing.
He also broke down in court as his lawyer pleaded for leniency, reported asiaone.com
He said he was fully ashamed of his actions which had harmed his family.
His lawyer, Melanie Ho, said her client had been misled about the girl's age when he contact the girl's pimp, Tang Boon Thiew to secure her services.
When he handed out the sentence, Senior District Judge See Kee Oon said he was reinforcing the message of deterrence, reported Channel NewsAsia.
He also noted Lee had committed his offence outside of his role as an edcuator and at no time, abused his position.
Lee could have been fined or jailed for up to seven years.
