Teacher who took drugs sentenced to 9 months' jail

A Briton who had taught in Singapore for about 30 years was sentenced to nine months' jail yesterday after he pleaded guilty to consuming drugs.

Christopher David Burge committed the crimes in September 2018. He was employed at Hwa Chong Institution (HCI).

His lawyers told the court that Burge was suffering from psychiatric disorders at the time, brought about by his father's death in a car accident caused by Burge. They said Burge believed he had fallen asleep at the wheel.

The court heard that the Central Narcotics Bureau, acting on a tip-off, found drugs in Burge's home in Linden Drive near Eng Neo Avenue on Sept 20, 2018. He was arrested.

He admitted to having taken methamphetamine, or Ice, at his home that morning, and on Sept 13 and 16, 2018. In the course of investigations, Burge said he consumed the drug because he enjoyed it, and would have continued consuming it if he had not been arrested.

Yesterday, the defence argued that Burge was acting out of character then as he was suffering from psychiatric disorders after the accident in Britain in December 2017.

The court heard that Burge had been charged in Britain for the head-on collision which led to his 95-year-old father's death.

The defence argued for a probation report to be made or, if Burge is found unsuitable for it, for a lighter sentence in the light of the "special circumstances".

Deputy Public Prosecutor Rebecca Wong argued for a 14-month jail sentence, noting doctors' assessments that Burge knew what he was doing at the time and "knew that drug offences were both morally and legally wrong".

The defence said that since his arrest, Burge has been seeking professional help and been given support by his former students at HCI, some of whom also attested to his good character.

In sentencing, District Judge Ong Luan Tze told Burge that drug offences are taken very seriously in Singapore and only in exceptional cases can "deterrence be displaced by probation". While she accepted the mental disorders present at the time and noted that there may have been a causal link, she was "not convinced" that deterrence should be displaced since Burge knew the offences were wrong and still committed them.

Burge will be appealing against the sentence.

Responding to queries from The Straits Times a HCI spokesman said that Burge has been suspended since Sept 2018.

"We expect all teachers to uphold high standards of conduct and to be good role models in both their professional and personal capacities. We are very disappointed with Christopher Burge's transgressions," the spokesman said in an email.