Retiree, 63, on trial for sexual assault of boy, 12

A 63-year-old retiree went on trial yesterday for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old boy at a park toilet in Tampines.

Chua Hock Leong, who is married with a daughter, is accused of performing oral sex on the Secondary 1 student in January last year.

The High Court heard that the boy, who lives with his mother, stepfather and younger brother, ran away from home on Jan 26 last year and spent the night at Changi Airport.

The next morning, he made his way to Tampines to meet his best friend, who handed him a change of clothes. The boy then followed his friend to school and waited outside for him to be dismissed.

At about 9.30am, the boy was sitting on the stairs at a block of flats opposite the school when Chua befriended him.

When Chua asked if he wanted to walk to the Tampines Eco Green park with him, the boy agreed.

Opening the prosecution's case, Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicholas Lai said the boy would testify that he was relieving himself inside a cubicle at the park toilet when Chua barged in and performed oral sex on him. The boy pushed Chua away and ran off, taking a taxi to his biological father's home.

That evening, he went to KK Women's and Children's Hospital on his own as he felt unwell.

Meanwhile, the boy's mother had filed a missing persons report at about 1.35pm that day. That evening, she received a call from the hospital and rushed there with the boy's stepfather.

The mother then reported the alleged sexual assault to the policeman who was assigned the missing persons case.

Chua was arrested on Jan 31.

DPP Lai told the court that Chua's DNA was found on the boy's boxer shorts and the door handle of the toilet. Two palm prints lifted from the door handle also matched Chua's left palm.

If convicted of sexual assault by penetration, Chua could be jailed for between eight and 20 years. He cannot be caned as he is above 50 years of age.

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 19, 2017, with the headline Retiree, 63, on trial for sexual assault of boy, 12. Subscribe