He was volunteering at a student care centre when he befriended a boy under his care. The 20-year-old, who is currently serving national service, later molested the 10-year-old boy.

The man, who cannot be named to protect the boy’s identity, was ordered to be assessed for his suitability for probation and reformative training.

On Monday (25 March), the man admitted in the State Courts to one count of committing an indecent act with a child. One count of an committing an indecent act with another 9-year-old boy by asking the student strip and taking photos of his body will be taken into consideration when he is sentenced.

In January 2017, the man began chatting with the 10-year-old boy on Instagram. They developed a close relationship and at the man’s request, the boy addressed him as “korkor”, which means elder brother in the Chinese dialects.

The man developed a “curiosity about young boys” in 2018, according to Deputy Public Prosecutor Gregory Gan.

In July 2018, while in the student care centre in the evening, the man asked the boy to follow him to a male toilet. The two entered a toilet cubicle and closed the door.

The man insisted on asking the boy to take off his T-shirt. The boy refused initially but gave in, and the man proceeded to touch the terrified boy on his chest.

He asked the victim to pull down his shorts and underwear. Although confused, the boy did as he was told.

The man took off his clothes and asked the boy to touch his private parts, but the boy refused. He then molested the boy on his private parts.

After the incident, the boy wore his clothes and left the toilet. He confided in his mother after returning home.

The boy’s mother informed a director at the student care centre about the incident, and the latter made a police report.

In mitigation, lawyer David Nayar said his client had been volunteering at the centre since 2016. Calling for a probation report, Nayar said the events in 2018 happened at the spur of the moment due to the man’s curiosity.

The man, who will be back in court in a week, faces jail of up to five years and/or fined $10,000 if convicted of committing an indecent act with a child.

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