VSC officer, who abused his position of trust by sexually assaulting a mentally disabled teenager, was sentenced to five years' jail

Koon Kok Wai was sentenced to five years' jail for sexually assaulting a mentally disabled teenager. ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW.

THE STAR

SINGAPORE: A former Voluntary Special Constabulary (VSC) officer, who abused his position of trust by sexually assaulting a mentally disabled teenager, was sentenced to five years' jail on Wednesday.

Koon Kok Wai, 53, who faced three charges, admitted to touching the youth, then 17, in a toilet cubicle on June 12, 2014, and performing oral sex on him in mid-June that year.

Koon was a VSC sergeant when he came to know the victim, who is autistic and mentally retarded.

He and his partner were attending to a case involving the youth on May 29 that year when he obtained the teenager's personal details and mobile. He was also aware that the victim was of low intellect.

A few days later, he befriended the youth by calling and meeting him on a number of occasions, at the youth'sblock and at a nearby community centre.

On June 12, he told the teenager to meet him at a swimming complex where he molested him in a toilet cubicle.

Deputy public prosecutor Lin Yinbing said the victim did not like Koon touching him.

In mid-June, the youth was alone at home when Koon paid him a visit. He told the teenager to go to his bedroom and he followed suit. Koon then sexually abused the victim. He later told him not to tell his mother that he had visited.

The court heard that the youth later told his mother that Koon was "crazy''. He revealed that Koon had behaved inappropriately towards him. She later took him to make a police report.

In her submissions on sentence, DPP Lin said this was a case in which a VSC officer had abused his power by using information privy to him to exploit a vulnerable member of the public.

She said the offences were pre-meditated. Koon had breached the trust of the youthand had taken advantage of someone who was vulnerable and defenceless.

Pleading for leniency, Koon's lawyer A. Ravidass said his client was remorseful and apologises to the court, the victim and the family for the offences.

Koon was allowed to defer sentence until June 1 to bring forward a medical review.

He could have been jailed for up to 20 years and fined for sexual penetration, and up to two years and fined for outrage of modesty. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network