SINGAPORE - In the first case of its kind, a former IT specialist has been taken to court for causing a minor to have sex with another person while he took photographs of them.
In the dock on Thursday was the 41-year-old Singapore permanent resident, who pleaded guilty to doing so at Conrad Centennial Hotel sometime in late October or early November 2012. Two other charges will be taken into consideration when he is sentenced.
There is a gag order on the accused, the victim and the witness.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Kavita Uthrapathy told the court that the accused, a photography enthusiast, had done nude and erotic photography using models he obtained from a website.
Sometime in late October 2012, the minor, a Chinese national then in Secondary 4, came to know the accused, who advertised on the Craiglist classifieds, stating: "Hoping to fulfill my girlfriend's fantasies; seeking an extra man".
Curious, the 15-year-old responded, claiming he was 18. The man, who did not verify his age, arranged for the minor as well as the part-time model to meet him at the hotel in Temasek Boulevard.
While they were in the room, the part-time model told the minor she was a second-year polytechnic student, but had just dropped out of school. The minor claimed he was a first-year polytechnic student.
After talking for a while, the man, who had told the youth he was a businessman, set up his camera equipment and told the teen to pose with the model as he snapped photographs.
He then asked the model to undress the youth, who felt uncomfortable and awkward. The accused had reassured him that the photographs were meant only for his personal use.
The man then told the 18-year-old to take off her clothes. He got the duo to perform various sexual acts while he photographed them. He also joined them on the bed at one stage.
About 20 to 30 minutes later, he handed a condom packet to the minor and asked him to have sex with the model. The youth did so as she was engaged in a sexual activity with the man.
Before they left, he paid the model $250.
The offence came to light on Jan 8 last year, when someone saw the photographs online.
The maximum punishment for the offence is 10 years' jail and a fine.
