Serial molester back behind bars for offences including outraging teen's modesty

SINGAPORE - A serial molester who had earlier targeted eight women is back behind bars for offences including outraging a 13-year-old girl's modesty.

In his latest string of offences, Lawrence Goh Koon Yong, now 39, also asked a 19-year-old woman to have sex with him and stole a pair of shoes from a third victim.

The Singaporean was sentenced on Friday (Feb 19) to 2½ years' jail after pleading guilty to one count each of theft, molestation and insulting a woman's modesty.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Genevieve Pang said that the 13-year-old girl was wearing her school uniform and walking home in Whampoa at around 11am on Oct 7, 2019 when Goh approached her from behind.

The DPP added: "The accused followed the victim and asked if she wanted to go to a dark corner to study.

"He also asked her if she had a boyfriend. As the victim wanted to protect herself, she told him that she had one."

Undeterred, Goh went close to the girl and grabbed her waist. The terrified teenager pushed him away and ran home.

In an unrelated incident, the 19-year-old woman was on her way home at around 10pm on Sept 2, 2019 and had entered a lift in a Sims Drive block of flats when Goh went up to her.

He then touched her upper arm and asked if she wanted to have sex with him.

DPP Pang told the court: "Upon hearing these words, the victim felt fearful and harassed by the accused.

"As the victim wanted to get away from the accused, she quickly exited the lift and gave her phone number to the accused while suggesting that he arrange a meeting the next day."

She told her father about what had happened when she got home and the man alerted the police.

The court heard that Goh called the woman at around 9.40pm the next day and told her that he was at the void deck of her block of flats.

Officers arrested him later that evening after she notified the police and her father.

Separately, Goh also stole a pair of black shoes worth $160 from outside a Commonwealth Crescent flat at around midnight on July 30, 2019.

Defence lawyer Nevinjit Singh had pleaded for Goh to be sentenced to 26 months' jail, stressing that his client has realised that he needs to change his ways and is remorseful.

For molesting a victim below 14 years old, an offender can be jailed for up to five years and fined or caned.

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