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A 29-YEAR-OLD paedophile who sexually abused a six-year-old boy in a library toilet was sentenced on Friday by the High Court to 12 years' jail and 12 strokes of the cane, the mandatory minimum number for the offence.
Chan Kok Weng had regularly sought out little boys from the time he was a Secondary 2 student, said a psychiatrist from the Insitute of Mental Health (IMH), testifying on whether Chan's paedophilia could be successfully treated.
On Thursday, the boyish-looking delivery driver pleaded guilty to one charge of performing oral sex on a six-year-old boy inside a cubicle in the men's toilet at Yishun Community Library.
He was caught on the spot after the boy's mother, who was waiting outside, was told by her son what had happened and sought help from library staff. The incident happened on April 27 last year.
It is not known how many children he preyed on. During his two-week remand at the IMH after he was charged in court, Chan told Dr Stephen Phang that since he was a teenager, he had sought out young boys and performed oral sex on them.
Chan told the psychiatrist that he himself had been exploited this way by an older schoolmate when he was in Primary 1.
He said he always went for boys younger than 10 years old 'because it's the easiest target'. After spotting a 'target' and making sure he was not accompanied by an adult, he would plan his move.
Chan told the psychiatrist that he found his actions enjoyable and did not think that he caused harm to the children.
Dr Phang concluded that Chan was a paedophile who was only interested in boys. Chan once had a girlfriend but admitted this was just a 'cover-up'.
In his report to the court, the psychiatrist stressed that Chan - who has been in custody since his arrest - represented a real danger to potential victims, who he selected at random.
Read the full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.
Chan Kok Weng had regularly sought out little boys from the time he was a Secondary 2 student, said a psychiatrist from the Insitute of Mental Health (IMH), testifying on whether Chan's paedophilia could be successfully treated.
On Thursday, the boyish-looking delivery driver pleaded guilty to one charge of performing oral sex on a six-year-old boy inside a cubicle in the men's toilet at Yishun Community Library.
He was caught on the spot after the boy's mother, who was waiting outside, was told by her son what had happened and sought help from library staff. The incident happened on April 27 last year.
It is not known how many children he preyed on. During his two-week remand at the IMH after he was charged in court, Chan told Dr Stephen Phang that since he was a teenager, he had sought out young boys and performed oral sex on them.
Chan told the psychiatrist that he himself had been exploited this way by an older schoolmate when he was in Primary 1.
He said he always went for boys younger than 10 years old 'because it's the easiest target'. After spotting a 'target' and making sure he was not accompanied by an adult, he would plan his move.
Chan told the psychiatrist that he found his actions enjoyable and did not think that he caused harm to the children.
Dr Phang concluded that Chan was a paedophile who was only interested in boys. Chan once had a girlfriend but admitted this was just a 'cover-up'.
In his report to the court, the psychiatrist stressed that Chan - who has been in custody since his arrest - represented a real danger to potential victims, who he selected at random.
Read the full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.
