Jailed for molesting teen and teacher

An unemployed man molested a 15-year-old student after approaching her for money.

Some three weeks later, while Nah Hock Keong was out on bail for molesting the teen, he molested a teacher.

The 42-year-old pleaded guilty to two counts of outrage of modesty at Jurong East Street 24, which occurred on May 8 and June 14, and was sentenced to a total of five months' jail yesterday.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Zhi Xiang said the girl was walking across the open space near Block 252 on her way to school that morning when she saw Nah approaching her from the opposite direction.

He went up to her and asked in Mandarin if she could spare him $2. At the same time, he made a flicking motion with two of his fingers and made contact with her breast.

Shocked, the teen stepped back, but Nah continued to ask her for money. She became angry and told him she did not have any. He said "never mind" and walked off.

Nah was arrested the next day.

In the second case, the 26-year- old teacher was walking past a shop at Block 252 when Nah called out to her. She turned around and saw him, but ignored him and kept on walking. Nah then touched her buttocks. Shocked, she turned around and scolded him.

DPP Tan asked District Judge Imran Abdul Hamid to impose a total sentence of four months' jail, saying Nah had previous convictions for property-related offences and offended while on bail.

Nah could have been jailed for up to two years, fined, caned, or received any combination of punishments for each charge.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 22, 2017, with the headline Jailed for molesting teen and teacher. Subscribe