A 33-year-old Singaporean man, serving as a field instructor with the National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC), has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail for engaging in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student. The former Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officer pleaded guilty to three charges of sexual penetration of a minor, with eight additional charges taken into consideration. A gag order has been imposed to protect the victim’s identity.
A Breach of Trust: How the Relationship Unfolded
The court heard that the man met the victim, a Secondary 4 student, in June 2023, while he was her instructor for the NCDCC’s National Day Parade marching contingent. The young student quickly developed a crush on him, frequently seeking interaction and expressing her admiration, viewing him as a “role model” and “motivator.” Initially, the instructor rebuffed her advances.
However, their interactions soon escalated beyond appropriate boundaries. By early August 2023, the pair began exchanging personal messages on social media, progressing to daily texts by September, and discussing sex by October. In November 2023, they went on their first “date,” held hands, and the victim confessed her love. That same month, she confided in him about a past sexual assault by a relative.
Between August and December 2023, the instructor admitted to developing feelings for the girl. From December 20, 2023, to April 5, 2024, they engaged in sexual activities on ten occasions, many of which were unprotected. In one particularly egregious instance during the school holidays, the man invited the girl to his home, knowing his wife would be at work. To facilitate their clandestine communication, they even created a new Instagram account in January 2024, utilizing the disappearing message function.
A Friend’s Courageous Report Leads to Justice
The victim eventually shared details of the inappropriate relationship with her close friends, who witnessed sexually explicit photos, videos, and messages exchanged between the pair. Recognizing the serious impropriety given the man’s role, age, and marital status, the friends grew concerned.
The turning point came on April 5, 2024, when one of the victim’s friends learned the man was driving her to school. This prompted the friend to approach the teacher in charge of the uniformed group, who promptly made a police report on April 8, 2024.
During the initial investigations, the man denied any romantic or sexual involvement but later confessed and cooperated with the authorities. Despite being out on bail, he breached its conditions in May 2024 by contacting the victim, claiming he was worried she might engage in self-harm. He subsequently reported this breach himself to the investigation officer.
Sentencing Highlights Abuse of Position
The prosecution sought a jail term of 30 to 36 months, emphasizing the severe breach of trust inherent in the trainer-cadet relationship. They underscored that the man, a “mature adult in his 30s who was married,” should have maintained a professional distance from the victim. While acknowledging that he did not coerce or pressure the victim and that she had initiated the relationship and was close to 16 years old, the prosecution maintained that his actions were a grave abuse of his position.
In delivering the sentence, the judge acknowledged that the man had initially rejected the victim’s advances. However, she stressed that as a CCA instructor, he held a significant position of trust, tasked with guiding and leading the young cadet. His failure to uphold this trust ultimately led to his conviction and imprisonment.
