S'pore ex-teacher, 41, sexually groomed student aged 13-14 then, hugged & kissed her

A 41-year-old former teacher in Singapore was convicted on Apr. 28, 2026 of sexually grooming his then-teenage student and committing indecent acts against her.

He was convicted of three counts of committing an indecent act with a minor and one count of sexual grooming of a minor, CNA reported.

The judge found him guilty of all four charges.

Accounts on both sides

The court found the victim to be a credible witness whose account was supported by evidence including texts, where the man called her "dear", "precious" and "daughter", according to CNA.

He also complimented her appearance and told her that he loved her.

The accused's evidence, however, was unreliable, unworthy of credit and "riddled with afterthoughts" and contradictions, said the judge, calling his explanations "incredible", including his claim that his references to kisses and hugs in texts he sent the victim were "virtual" or "verbal" hugs and "air kisses".

CNA reported that the court imposed gag orders on the identities of the victim, the accused and the name of their school.

Secondary school student

The accused taught the victim in 2022 when she was between 13 and 14 in secondary school.

At the time, the former teacher met the girl frequently to help her with schoolwork, during which he would pat her head and touch her hand, CNA reported.

From September 2022 to January 2023, they also met frequently and texted often, at times into the night.

It was undisputed that in November 2022, school personnel had warned the accused about the girl calling him "daddy", CNA reported, adding that he was told to keep a distance from her.

The former teacher suggested moving their chats to vanishing mode on Instagram to avoid leaving a text trail.

Car park

In late November 2022, the man had driven the girl to the upper level of a multi-storey car park.

They remained in the car for more than one-and-a-half hours, CNA reported, adding that the girl testified to sitting on the man's lap in the back seat while he hugged and kissed her and stroked her thigh.

The offender had embarked on a series of calculated grooming acts, the prosecution argued.

This established a pseudo father-daughter relationship with the victim as a foundation for the accused's subsequent commission of indecent acts against her.

Denied claims

However, the accused claimed to have exchanged only "virtual" or "verbal" hugs and kisses with the victim, and touched her with an instrument, such as a pen, pencil, ruler or paper, and that he had "reluctantly" allowed the victim to call him "daddy" and that he called her "daughter" and other terms of endearment so as not to upset her.

He also claimed to have complimented her appearance to "boost her confidence and self-esteem", CNA reported.

The girl had reportedly fabricated the allegations to retaliate as she was upset that he apparently paid attention to another student, the defence argued.

Victim was credible witness: Judge

In this regard, the judge found that the victim was a credible witness who gave clear, consistent and compelling evidence, which withstood the rigours of cross-examination and was supported by objective evidence.

She cited multiple texts where the accused had stated that he had done certain acts including holding the girl's hand and face and touching her cheek.

An eyewitness also testified to seeing them touch and caress each other on their forearms and during meetings to prepare for a school event, CNA reported.

Man's evidence unreliable

The judge, however, found the man's evidence to be unreliable and peppered with afterthoughts "devised to distance himself" from the acts in the charges.

Several of his claims were raised for the first time in court without appearing in the case filed for the defence, said the judge.

CNA reported that his claim of using an instrument to touch the victim's hand was raised for the first time.

The claim was also missing from the case filed for the defence, but in direct contradiction to a statement of agreed facts submitted earlier.

The accused had also said she was his "favourite person" and that his wife, friends, parents and sister would have to "queue behind her".

The judge said this pointed to a "deliberate and calculated effort to cultivate a relationship of emotional intimacy with romantic undertones with a 14-year-old and were strongly indicative of a nefarious intent to groom her".

Penalties

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Education (MOE) had previously told CNA that the man had been suspended in October 2023 and was no longer teaching in any school.

CNA reported that the judge found that the prosecution had proven all charges against the man beyond reasonable doubt and the case was adjourned to June for mitigation and sentencing.

For committing an indecent act with a minor, the man could be jailed for up to five years, fined up to S$10,000, or both per charge.

For sexual grooming of a minor, he could be jailed for up to three years, fined, or both.