SINGAPORE - An army warrant officer who engaged in sexual activities with a girl 27 years younger than him was on Monday (Oct 10) jailed for 10 months.

Teo Chye Siong, now 44, earlier pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual penetration of a minor.

A district court heard that he became friends with the 14-year-old victim on Facebook in May 2014.

He soon started to inject sexual content into their conversations.

At about 4pm on a Thursday later the same month, Teo, a former regimental sergeant major with the 6th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment, met her at her void deck.

He drove her in his car to Changi Beach, where they sat on a bench facing the sea.

He violated her with his finger for at least five minutes, the court heard.

Later the same day, he dove her to Pasir Ris Park and told her to perform a sex act on him, while in his car.

She complied for a few minutes.

"After Teo and the victim parted ways, Teo continued to chat with the victim on Facebook about having sex with her," said Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Kavita Uthrapathy.

In calling for a stiff sentence, the DPP noted that Teo's own children were around the same age as the victim.

Teo had, moreover, known that she was a minor, but continued to send her lewd messages on Facebook about having sex with her until Dec 2014.

The maximum punishment for sexual penetration with a minor is 10 years' jail and a fine.

Teo has been suspended from the Singapore Armed Forces.