Malaysian masseur gets six years and eight months' jail and $2,000 fine for sexual grooming and other offences

Malaysian masseur Hiew Chung Wai often trawled through Facebook to seek out young males to engage in sexual offences with. PHOTO: REUTERS

SINGAPORE - Malaysian masseur Hiew Chung Wai, 42, not only hunted online for young boys to be his sexual prey; he also involved them in group sex with other older men, often enticing them with money.

On Monday (May 8), District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan sentenced Hiew, who pleaded guilty to 11 charges last month, to six years and eight months in jail and a fine of $2,000.

The charges were six of sexual penetration of a minor, two of abetting by intentionally aiding an accomplice to sexually penetrate a minor, and one each of recruiting a minor for sexual exploitation, receiving payment in connection with the actual exploitation of a trafficked victim, and having obscene films.

Twenty other charges were considered during his sentencing.

Labelling him a persistent offender for sexually exploiting four teenaged boys, the judge called for minors to be protected from sexual predators like Hiew.

The masseur has a form of perversion known as hebephilia: a sexual preference for early adolescent children generally aged 11 to 14.

Before Hiew's arrest on Dec 28, 2015, he often trawled through Facebook to seek out young males to engage in sexual offences with.

When he identified a suitable individual, he would cajole and persuade the person to engage in sexual activities with him.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Winston Man said in 2011, Hiew sent a "friend request'' to the first victim on Facebook and asked to meet for sex but the teen refused. Hiew persisted and eventually, the teen relented.

The victim met Hiew at the latter's West Coast Road flat where he was paid $20 for performing oral sex on Hiew.

Hiew met the second victim, then 14, in the same way. He offered the teen $50 and transport money to "have fun'' with him.

The second victim agreed as he was enticed by the money and also found Hiew's profile photo "attractive", not knowing that Hiew had used an unknown person's photo.

When they met, Hiew lied that the profile was his friend, who was not at home. Hiew brought the teen to his room, showed him pornographic films and performed oral sex on the boy. He paid the teen $60 plus $10 taxi fare.

He contacted the second victim again in May 2013 and offered him $80 for sex. Hiew promised to transfer the money to the second victim's bank account but did not do so.

In mid-2013, the second victim introduced to Hiew the third victim, a boy aged around 14 who needed money.

The third victim contacted Hiew who was willing to pay $50 for the teen's sexual services.

Eventually, Hiew suggested organising a gathering at the second victim's home. The gathering took place from August to September that year.

Hiew, the second and third victims, as well as a 19-year-old accomplice, took part in a 40-minute orgy. Hiew paid the third victim $50 before he left.

The court heard the fourth victim, then 15, was roped in by the second victim in October 2015. Hiew later contacted the fourth victim, and said he would pay the teen $200 for sex four times a week. The offences took place at the teen's home from late October to early November.

DPP Man said sometime in early December, at VivoCity, Hiew told the fourth victim that he would arrange for the teen to meet six men who would each pay him $30 for his services.

Through a homosexual social network application known as Grindr, Hiew came to know three other men, two of whom were aged 17 and 19.

He forwarded the fourth victim's photograph to them and asked if they wanted to participate in an orgy at $30 each.

Hiew also booked a room at Santa Grand Hotel Lai Chun Yuen in Chinatown where the orgy took place on Dec 14. Hiew took part in it too.

When Hiew was arrested at Woodlands Checkpoint, 151 obscene video files were found on his mobile phone.

None of his four accomplices has been dealt with.

Correction note: The original report misspelt the masseur's name. We are sorry for the error.

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