He poses as ex-teacher to prey on boy
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Shaffiq Alkhatib
The New Paper
Monday, Mar 17, 2014
Recalcitrant paedophile Terence Thaver, 48, was jailed for 13 years and ordered to receive 12 strokes of the cane Friday after pleading guilty to three counts of oral sex with an underage boy.
Four other charges of sexual offences involving the same minor were taken into consideration during sentencing.
Thaver committed these offences between December 2007 and August 2008. But the offences only came to light in 2012.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Yang Ziliang said that sometime in late 2007, Thaver, a former manager, befriended the then 10-year-old boy at a bookshop operated by the youngster's mother.
Soon after that, he told her that he used to be a teacher and could help the boy with his homework.
The unsuspecting woman agreed and allowed her son to visit Thaver's home at Block 125, Lorong 1, Toa Payoh. Sometime in March 2008, the boy was watching television in the flat when Thaver performed oral sex on him without his consent.
The child told him to stop after about five seconds. Thaver complied and the boy soon left the flat.
But he returned two more times between March and June that year and Thaver performed oral sex on him on both occasions.
The offences only came to light four years later when the boy's tutor discovered pornographic materials on his mobile phone.
When questioned, the boy revealed that Thaver had sexually assaulted him in the past.
The student, who had turned 15 then, lodged a police report later that day.
Senior consultant Cai Yiming from the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) examined him on Sept 5, 2012.
In a report, the boy told Dr Cai that Thaver gave between $10 and $20 after each sexual encounter, and he was "greedy" for the money.
Re-offending
Pressing for a deterrent sentence, DPP Yang told Justice Chan Seng Onn that based on a medical report by psychiatrist Bharat Saluja, also from the IMH, Thaver is a paedophile who has a risk of re-offending.
DPP Yang highlighted that he was sentenced to eight years' jail and 24 strokes of the cane in February 2001 for molesting four girls between January 1999 and September 2000.
Thaver was also sentenced to a year's jail on July 15, 2010 for molesting an eight-year-old boy sometime between May and June 2008.
But defence lawyer Kesavan Nair said that a sentence of three to four years' jail was sufficient.
He stressed that there is no evidence of physical, emotional or psychological injury to the boy.
Thaver also addressed the court and his voice was choked with emotion as he read out a mitigation letter which said that he wants to turn over a new leaf.
He said: "I know I am wrong and only have myself to blame for my current state... I am not asking for... leniency but for a fair sentence for my offence."
For each count, he could have been jailed up to 20 years, and fined or caned.
