Youth given probation for sex offences on boy, 14, in children's home
A 16-year-old boy who performed oral sex on another boy, then 14, while in a children’s home for the same offence was sentenced to 18 months probation on Tuesday (18 September).
The youth, now 18, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual penetration of a minor under 16 years old. One count of a similar nature on was considered for his sentencing.
As part of his probation requirements, the youth will also have to serve 40 hours of community service and and comply with psychological treatment when required.
He was serving a nine-month stint in the children’s home for the same offence, committed on another 14-year-old boy, when he reoffended.
The youth is no longer staying at the Home and is interning at a café.
Both the youth and the victim, who is now 16, cannot be named to protect their identities.
The victim, a Secondary 2 student, had been staying at the home for a year when the incident happened.
On 9 October 2016, the youth and the victim were in the home’s living room discussing their relationship with other male friends. The victim had his prayer book and wanted to resume praying when the youth crawled towards him.
The youth then molested the victim and performed oral sex on him. The victim felt pain and pushed the youth away after a while.
The next day, as the victim was leaving for school in the morning, the youth accompanied him. When the two reached the NEX shopping mall in Serangoon, the youth led the victim to a toilet cubicle where he molested the boy.
They also engaged in sexual intercourse, but were caught in the act by the Head of the Social Work Department of the children’s home.
The youth was in the midst of serving a probation sentence from June 2016 to June 2018 for a similar offence when he reoffended. He had been sentenced for sexual penetration of another 14-year-old boy and was placed in the children’s home for nine months as part of his sentence.
In sentencing the youth, District Judge Eddy Tham said, “I hope you realise that this behaviour is totally inappropriate, especially as the other party is of a young age.”
He noted that the youth’s young age made him suitable for probation.
For the offence of sexual penetration of a minor under 16, the youth could have been jailed up to 10 years and/or fined.
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