The trial for a secondary school teacher accused of committing multiple sexual offences against a 15-year student within two months began on Thursday (21 February).

The 40-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, faces 20 counts of digitally penetrating the girl and having sex with her on 10 occasions between 10 August and 24 September 2015. He was then teaching the victim, who is now 19 years old, at the same secondary school.

The prosecution will be proceeding with all 20 charges against the man.

The man, who taught in the school located in the northeast of Singapore, is said to have brought the girl to his flat in the same area. The school also cannot be named to protect the victim’s identity.

On Thursday, Deputy Public Prosecutor James Chew said that the prosecution would be calling the victim and the investigating officer as witnesses. The victim then took the stand and the court was vacated for the trial to be heard behind closed doors.

The hearing will resume on Friday.

For digitally penetrating a person under the age of 16, the man faces a maximum jail term of 10 years, or a fine, or both, on each count. For having sex with a person under the age of 16, he faces the same punishments.