SINGAPORE - An information technology student from Republic Polytechnic (RP) was stationed at Jurong Medical Centre during his internship when he recorded videos of multiple women in a toilet.
Gerald Che Hong Yao, now 21, also recorded upskirt videos of women in other places including lifts or while they were on escalators.
The Singaporean was sentenced to two years' probation on Tuesday (July 27) after he pleaded guilty to three counts of voyeurism. He has to remain indoors from 11pm to 6am every day and perform 60 hours of community service.
His parents were bonded for $5,000 to ensure his good behaviour and he has been banned from owning a mobile phone with video-recording or photo-taking functions.
Che told the court on Tuesday that he has been suspended from school.
In an earlier statement, the polytechnic told The Straits Times that it takes a "strong view against sexual misconduct" and will not hesitate to mete out disciplinary action.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Stephanie Chew said that in September last year, Che began his internship at National University Hospital as an IT support employee.
Then in January, he was stationed at Jurong Medical Centre.
On multiple occasions between Jan 4 and 11, he loitered along a corridor outside a female toilet.
The DPP said he followed the victims into the toilet and entered a cubicle adjacent to theirs.
"The accused would switch on the video-recording mode and lift his mobile phone above the cubicle divider to film the (victims easing themselves)."
Che was caught after a victim spotted his mobile phone on Jan 11. She came out of her cubicle but did not see anyone else in the restroom as Che had managed to flee the scene.
The 28-year-old woman lodged a police report that day, and officers arrested Che the next day.
Separately, the court heard that on nine occasions last year, Che recorded multiple upskirt videos in various locations islandwide.
DPP Chew said: "The accused admits that he began taking a variety of obscene videos in 2016 at different places including MRT stations, buses and shopping malls. He also stated that he took two upskirt videos at the escalator in his school... He did not circulate the videos further."
For each count of voyeurism, an offender can be jailed for up to two years and fined or caned.
