Boy, 16, admits to taking 58 video clips over two days in men's toilet in Sengkang Sports Complex

SINGAPORE - A 16-year-old boy on Tuesday (March 16) admitted to taking 58 video clips of boys in the nude and while they were changing in the men's toilet at Sengkang Sports Complex.

He did so over two days in 2019.

The youth, who cannot be named as he is under 18, pleaded guilty in a district court to 10 charges under the Films Act and another 48 will be taken into consideration for sentencing.

The boy was unrepresented and his request to have his mother stand next to him in the dock was rejected.

The judge called for a probation suitability report.

The court heard that the offences came to light after a father of one of the victims spotted the boy filming his son in the men's changing area on Oct 19, 2019 at about 12.15pm.

The father had accompanied his son, who had just finished his swimming lesson, to the toilet when he noticed the accused pointing a phone at his son. He confronted the accused, who then got scared and hid in one of the cubicles.

The victim's father called for help and a staff member at the sports complex called the police.

The police found two mobile phones, an iPhone 7+ and an iPhone XS Max, on the accused. Both were used on Sept 22 and Oct 19, 2019, to make the clips, all of which were deemed as obscene by the Infocomm Media Development Authority.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Magdalene Huang urged the court to order a probation report because the accused is young and a first-time offender.

But she also noted that he had taken many video clips and "can be considered a serial offender".

The parents of the accused tendered a letter to the court. Its contents were not divulged.

The boy is scheduled to be sentenced on April 27.