"Online prostitution ring" under probe

[Anonymouse]

Manager jailed 12 weeks in online vice ring case
By Alvina Soh | Posted: 13 August 2012 1202 hrs

SINGAPORE: A production manager was jailed 12 weeks on Monday for having paid sex with an underage girl.

Thirty-one-year-old Chiang Meng Chuan was found guilty of paying the girl S$450 for sex on each of two occasions at Hotel 81 Bencoolen in September 2010.

Chiang, who is married with a three-and-a-half-year-old son, is part of the 51 men implicated in the online vice ring case.

His lawyer, Mr Shankar Alan, told the court that his client was "extremely remorseful" and wanted closure.

He added that Chiang did ask for the girl's age only to be told that she was of legal age.

However in response, Deputy Public Prosecutor Peggy Pao argued that Chiang only "relied on the bare representation of her age and did not verify her age by checking her identity card".

Senior District Judge See Kee Oon, in his sentencing, agreed with this, adding that Chiang "was content to simply take her word for it".

He also rejected the claim that the girl's supposed "immoral" actions were relevant and should be taken into account during mitigation.

He added that this would "wrongly shift the sentencing court's focus to the character or conduct of the minor, when the court should focus on the conduct of the accused".

However, he noted that Chiang had pleaded guilty at an early stage and was unlikely to reoffend.

Chiang is the third man to be convicted in the case so far.

Former principal of Pei Chun Public School Lee Lip Hong was sentenced to nine weeks' jail for a similar offence with the same underage girl.

The 39-year-old was released from Changi Prison in June after serving six weeks' jail.

The early remission was because of his good behaviour.

On July 30, former executive director of the Singapore Environment Council Howard Shaw was jailed three months for having paid sex with an underage girl.

Shaw is now out on bail of S$10,000 pending appeal.

- CNA/cc

 

[KarJuaKoon]

Two more plead guilty in online vice ring case
By Alvina Soh | Posted: 22 August 2012 1323 hrs

SINGAPORE: Two more men pleaded guilty on Wednesday to paying for sex with an underage girl in the high-profile online vice ring scandal.

39-year-old former police superintendent Tan Wee Kiat and 37-year-old portfolio manager Ng Guan Mean are part of the group of 51 men implicated in the case.

The duo, who are both represented by Mr Luke Lee, came across the girl's services online and contacted her pimp Tan Boon Thiew.

Tan paid the girl S$600 for sex at Hotel 81 Bencoolen in December 2010.

The girl was seventeen years old then.

Under Singapore law, it is illegal to have paid sex with a girl below 18 years of age.

In mitigation, Mr Lee said that Tan was "facing stress from his work and personal life".

The court also heard that Tan was suffering from an adjustment disorder when he committed the offence.

In addition, Mr Lee urged the court to take into consideration Tan's "long years of public service" as a police superintendent.

He also pushed for a probation instead of a jail term.

In response, the prosecution argued that a probation was "inappropriate" as the offence was not a "rehabilitative one".

Similarly, Ng paid the under-age girl S$450 for sex at M Hotel at Anson Road in October 2010.

The court heard that Ng asked the girl for her age before they had sex, and was told that she was 19 years old.

But Ng stopped short of verifying her age through identification documents.

Tan will be sentenced on August 27 and Ng will be sentenced on November 2.

Former principal of Pei Chun Public School Lee Lip Hong was sentenced to nine weeks' jail for a similar offence with the same underage girl.

The 39-year-old was released from Changi Prison in June after serving six weeks' jail. The early remission was because of his good behaviour.

On July 30, former executive director of the Singapore Environment Council Howard Shaw was jailed three months for having paid sex with an underage girl. Shaw is now out on bail of S$10,000 pending appeal.

- CNA/wm

 

[KarJuaKoon]

Another man claims trial in online vice ring scandal
By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 24 August 2012 1446 hrs

SINGAPORE: Another man accused of paying for sex with an underage girl in the online vice ring scandal has said he will claim trial.

Koh Hooi Hon, 43, allegedly had paid sex with a 17-year-old in December 2010 at Sloane Court hotel.

During the court proceedings on Friday, Koh was reminded by the judge not to approach the victim.

His passport has also been impounded.

He will next appear in court on October 15.

Koh was accompanied by a male friend.

Both men left the court wearing identical hooded sweatshirts, face masks and sunglasses.

So far, 51 men have been implicated in the online vice ring case.

41-year-old environment champion Howard Shaw, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced to 12 weeks jail.

Former principal Lee Lip Hong, 39, was given nine weeks' jail after also pleading guilty.

- CNA/wm

 

[KarJuaKoon]

​

​

 

[Alto Saotome]

Ex-police officer gets 12 weeks' jail in online vice ring case
Posted: 27 August 2012 1654 hrs

SINGAPORE: A policeman's long career came crashing down after he was jailed 12 weeks on Monday for having paid sex with an underage girl in the high-profile online vice case.

39-year-old Tan Wee Kiat, who has been in the police force for 14 years, was one of several men charged for having paid sex with the same girl.

In his sentencing, District Judge Chay Yuen Fatt said that Tan, who did not verify the girl's age, "should have known better." However, he noted that Tan, a senior police officer, did not commit the offence while on duty.

Tan, who was dressed in black from head to toe, appeared calm during sentencing. The court heard that he was diagnosed with depression due to stress, during the time of the offence.

Tan came across the girl's services online and contacted her pimp Tan Boon Thiew. He paid the girl S$600 for sex at Hotel 81 Bencoolen in December 2010. The girl was seventeen years old then.

Under Singapore law, it is illegal to have paid sex with a girl below 18 years of age.

A week ago, Tan's lawyer, Mr Luke Lee said in mitigation that Tan was "facing stress from his work and personal life". He also urged the court to take into consideration Tan's "long years of public service" as a Police Superintendent.

Channel NewsAsia understands that Tan has been seeing a psychiatrist since 2008.

Tan is the third man to be sentenced so far.

Former principal of Pei Chun Public School Lee Lip Hong was sentenced to nine weeks' jail for a similar offence with the same underage girl. Lee, 39, was released from Changi Prison in June after serving six weeks' jail. The early remission was because of his good behaviour.

On July 30, former executive director of the Singapore Environment Council Howard Shaw was jailed three months for having paid sex with an underage girl. Shaw is now out on bail of S$10,000 pending an appeal.

-CNA/ac

 

[Anonymouse]

Another man pleads guilty in online vice ring case
By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 31 August 2012 1204 hrs

SINGAPORE: One more man has pleaded guilty to having paid sex with an underage girl in a high-profile online vice ring case.

The court heard on Friday that engineer Lee Tian Song, 33, came across the girl's services online and contacted her pimp Tan Boon Thiew.

He then paid her S$450 for sex at Hotel 81 Bencoolen in September 2010. The girl was 17 years old at the time.

The court also heard that Lee had asked the girl her age and she had told him she was 19 years old. He did not ask to see her identification.

Lee will be back in court on October 2 for sentencing.

Under Singapore's law, it is illegal to have paid sex with a girl below 18 years of age.

So far, 51 men have been implicated in the online vice ring case. Four of them have already been sentenced.

Former principal of Pei Chun Public School, Lee Lip Hong, was sentenced to nine weeks' jail for a similar offence with the same underage girl. Lee, 39, was released from Changi Prison in June after serving six weeks' jail. The early remission was because of his good behaviour.

On July 30, former executive director of the Singapore Environment Council, Howard Shaw, was jailed three months for having paid sex with the underage girl. Shaw is now out on a S$10,000 bail pending an appeal.

Production manager Chiang Meng Chuan, 31, was sentenced to 12 weeks' jail on August 13.

Ex-police officer Tan Wee Kiat, 39, was jailed 12 weeks on Monday.

-CNA/ac/al

 

[Anonymouse]

Man gets 12 weeks' jail in online vice ring case
By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 31 August 2012 1411 hrs

SINGAPORE: A fifth man was sentenced on Friday after pleading guilty to having paid sex with an underage girl in a high-profile online vice ring case.

35-year-old Tan Kok Wee, a former Singapore Armed Forces personnel, was sentenced to 12 weeks' jail for having paid sex with the girl, who was 17 years old at the time.

The court heard that Tan had come across her services online and contacted her pimp Tan Boon Thiew on October 22, 2010. Tan then met the girl at Hotel 81 Bencoolen on October 23, 2010, where he paid her S$500 for sex.

He did not ask to see her identification.

Under Singapore law, it is an offence to have paid sex with a girl below 18 years of age.

Tan is one of 51 men implicated in the online vice ring case. He is a first-time offender and will start serving his sentence on Friday.

The prosecution called for Tan's sentence to be in line with three other men who have already received similar sentences for the same offence, as the facts of the case are similar.

Ex-police officer Tan Wee Kiat, product manager Chiang Meng Chuan, and former executive director of the Singapore Environment Council Howard Shaw, were all sentenced to 12 weeks' jail.

Shaw is out on a S$10,000 bail pending appeal.

The prosecution added that Tan did not have comparable mitigating factors as former principal of Pei Chun Public School Lee Lip Hong, who was jailed nine weeks for a similar offence with the same underage girl.

Lee, who the prosecution said had a strong record of service in education sector, was released from Changi Prison in June after six weeks. The early remission was because of good behaviour.

Earlier on Friday morning, engineer Lee Tian Song, 33, pleaded guilty to paying the same girl S$450 for sex at Hotel 81 Bencoolen in September 2010.

He will be sentenced on October 2.

-CNA/ac

 

[Anonymouse]

Stikfas founder jailed for having paid sex with underage girl
By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 06 September 2012 1728 hrs

SINGAPORE: Homegrown toymaker Ban Yinh Jheow on Thursday became the sixth man jailed for having paid sex with an underage girl in the high profile online vice ring case.

He was jailed 13 weeks for having paid sex with the same girl on three occasions. The Prosecution proceeded on one charge and took the other two into consideration.

Ban, 42, is an entrepreneur who founded Stikfas, a company that sold millions of award-winning plastic action figures.

The court heard that Ban, who is married, found out about the girl's services online. He then contacted her pimp Tang Boon Thiew.

On all three occasions, Ban met the girl for sex at Hotel 81 Bencoolen - twice in September 2010 and once in October 2010. Each time, he paid her S$450.

The court also heard that Ban did not ask to see her identification. The girl was 17 at the time.

Under Singapore's law, it is illegal to have paid sex with a girl below 18 years of age.

In mitigation, Ban's lawyer Chia Boon Teck said Ban deeply regretted his actions.

In sentencing, district judge Chay Yuen Fatt said that Ban's offence warranted a higher sentence than some of those previously jailed as he had two charges taken into consideration.

So far, 51 men have been implicated in the online vice ring case.

Five have been sentenced so far. Four of them received 12-week jail terms.

- CNA/cc

 

[Anonymouse]

Howard Shaw drops appeal, to start 12-week jail sentence on Oct 5

The Business Times
Tuesday, Sep 18, 2012

HOWARD Shaw is not proceeding with a petition to appeal a 12-week jail sentence for one count of paid sex with a minor, BT has learned.

A Subordinate Courts spokeswoman confirmed to BT yesterday that Shaw has decided not to proceed with his appeal against his sentence, which was meted out on July 30.

In addition, the court has approved his application to defer the start date of his jail term to Oct 5 from Sept 14, she said.

BT understands that the period in which Shaw was to file his Petition of Appeal – a document setting out his detailed grounds of appeal – lapsed last week.

Out on $10,000 bail, Shaw, one of 51 men charged for paid sex with an underage prostitute, had initially indicated he would appeal his sentence to the High Court.

Senior Counsel Harpreet Singh of WongPartnership LLP and Shaw’s lawyer declined comment on the matter.

Former Pei Chun Public School principal Lee Lip Hong – who pleaded guilty to one charge of paid sex with the same minor, with a second charge taken into consideration – was sentenced to a nine-week jail term. He was released early in June for good behaviour, after serving six weeks.

Mr Singh had argued that a jail sentence would be “absurdly draconian” because Shaw had made an “honest and reasonable mistake” in believing that the girl wasn’t a minor, based on her physical attributes and on representations in the pimp Tang Boon Thiew’s website.

But Senior District Judge See Kee Oon disagreed, finding that it was a “self-induced mistake that could have been forestalled”.

Although under current laws Shaw wasn’t legally obliged to verify the girl’s age, the judge noted that “the extent to which (Shaw) had made efforts to check and verify the minor’s age, in order to avoid falling foul of Section 376B(1), can be a relevant and very material consideration in sentencing”.

In determining Shaw’s sentence, Judge See noted the legislative intent in enacting Section 376B(1) is to prevent minors from being sexually exploited.

In meting out the custodial sentence, he found Shaw “reckless”, because Shaw did not make any efforts to check or verify the minor’s age.

Subhas Anandan of RHTLaw Taylor Wessing LLP, who represents 11 of the 51 men, said Shaw’s withdrawal of his appeal won’t likely affect his clients, who are all claiming trial. “Just because he withdraws doesn’t mean we’re going to throw in the towel,” he said.

 

[Anonymouse]

Indonesian businessman jailed for having sex with underage prostitute
By Sharon See | Posted: 28 September 2012 1204 hrs

SINGAPORE: Wilson Oei, 26, has been sentenced to nine weeks' jail for having sex with an underage prostitute.

He is the eighth man to be convicted in a high profile online vice ring case that has implicated 51 men.

In his mitigation, Oei's lawyer Chen Chee Yen said Oei's age gap with the 17-year-old prostitute was relatively narrow when the offence was committed on 26 September 2010.

Senior District Judge See Kee Oon said a large age disparity could be an aggravating factor, so the age disparity is relevant to the case overall.

But he said the age gap is not so narrow in this case to warrant a discount in sentencing.

The judge said while it was a honest mistake for Oei, he had made no inquiry at all about the girl's age and did not exercise any vigilance.

But he noted that Oei is remorseful about his mistake as shown by his early pleading of guilt.

Oei paid the girl between S$450 and S$500 for sex at Hotel 81 Bencoolen.

- CNA/xq/ck

 

[Anonymouse]

Man gets 11 weeks' jail for underage paid sex
By Alice Chia | Posted: 01 October 2012 1920 hrs

SINGAPORE: A navy captain was sentenced to 11 weeks' jail on Monday for having paid sex with an underage prostitute.

Chan Wei Kiat, 27, is the 11th man to be sentenced in the online vice ring saga involving 51 men.

Chan had paid S$500 for sex with the girl, then 17 years old, on 6 November 2010 at a hotel in Lavender Street.

The Republic of Singapore Navy has suspended Chan since investigations started.

In his mitigation plea, Chan's lawyer, Mr Josephus Tan, said that Chan is the eldest of four sons and his family's main breadwinner.

Mr Tan added that since Chan's case came to light, many had come forward with their testimonials attesting to his good, honest and selfless character.

These include his fellow officers and superiors.

The maximum penalty for obtaining sexual services of a person under 18 years of age is imprisonment for seven years and a fine.

- CNA/xq

 

[Anonymouse]

Two jailed for paid sex with underage girl
By Alice Chia | Posted: 01 October 2012 1503 hrs

Louis Lee Lip Kian, 33, a former bank officer, had pleaded guilty to paying between $500 and $600 for sex with the girl at Hotel 81 in Bencoolen Street on Nov 20, 2010. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

SINGAPORE: Two more men have been sentenced to jail for having paid sex with an underage girl.

Louis Lee Lip Kian, 33, and Pyi Kyaw Han, 31, each received 12 weeks' jail on Monday, bringing to 10 the total number of people sentenced so far in an online vice ring saga involving 51 men.

In his mitigation plea, Lee's lawyer, Mr Amolat Singh, said Lee was misled by the representations on the website about the girl's age.

He said Lee did not ask about her age as he "honestly and reasonably" thought she was above 18 years old.

The former relationship manager with a bank also thought she had shown an intellectual, mental and physical age well beyond her years.

He was thus "shell-shocked" to discover that she was 17 at the time when he paid her S$500 for sex in a hotel at Bencoolen Street on November 20, 2010.

Pyi's lawyer, Mr James Sebastian, said that while his client had asked about the girl's age, she claimed that she was a final-year student in a tertiary school.

Her physical appearance also supported his impression.

Mr Sebastian said that Pyi had absolutely no intention to break the law and was shocked to learn of his inadvertent breach.

Pyi, who was then a director of a company dealing in security, had felt "cheated" and "victimised" by the representations on the website about her age.

He paid the girl S$650 for sex on December 21, 2010 in a hotel at Bencoolen Street.

In sentencing, Senior District Judge See Kee Oon said deterrence remains the primary consideration.

He noted that both men did not set out knowingly or deliberately to exploit a minor and that they had pleaded guilty at an early stage, expressed remorse and accepted responsibility for their conduct.

- CNA/cc

 

[Anonymouse]

Howard Shaw starts 12-week jail term
By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 05 October 2012 1311 hrs

SINGAPORE: Former executive director of the Singapore Environment Council, Howard Shaw, said he respects what the law has handed down to him, as he started serving his 12-week jail term on Friday.

He made the statement in response to questions from the media when he arrived at the Subordinate Courts at about 11.20am with his wife, Jessie Xue.

Dressed in a white shirt and dark-coloured pants, Shaw told reporters that he was feeling nervous and had not slept very well overnight.

The grandson of the Shaw Organisation's founder was sentenced on July 30 this year for having paid sex with an underage girl.

He was among 51 men implicated in the high-profile online vice ring case involving the girl, who was then 17 years old.

Shaw, 41, had appealed against his sentence but recently withdrew the appeal.

When asked why he withdrew the appeal, Shaw replied: "I respect what the law has handed out to me, and I will serve my time." He added that the decision to withdraw the appeal was entirely his own.

In court, Shaw and Xue sat together quietly in the public gallery of the empty courtroom.

The pair exchanged a hug before officers took Shaw into custody at about 11.30am. His wife handed him a container wrapped in plastic, together with an envelope.

She declined to speak to reporters who approached her.

Eleven men have been sentenced so far in the online vice ring scandal.

The maximum punishment for the offence is seven years' jail and a fine.

- CNA/al

 

[Anonymouse]

IT engineer jailed for paid sex with underage girl
By Alvina Soh | Posted: 08 October 2012 1756 hrs

SINGAPORE: An engineer with an IT company has become the 12th man to be sent to jail for paid sex with an underage girl.

Lee Tian Song, 33, was sentenced to 10 weeks' jail on Monday.

He paid the girl, who was 17 years old at the time of the offence, S$450 for sex on 26 September 2010 at a hotel in Bencoolen Street.

Lee, who was represented by Ms Patricia Quah, did not verify her age.

However, both the prosecution and Ms Quah agreed that Lee "did not actively seek out girls under 18 years of age".

During sentencing, District Judge Hamidah Ibrahim also noted that Lee had pleaded guilty at an early stage in August.

The maximum penalty for obtaining the sexual services of a person under 18 years of age is imprisonment of seven years and a fine.

Lee is among 51 men implicated in the high-profile case.

- CNA/ck

 

[Anonymouse]

Ex-principal in vice ring case has new job
He has found work assisting managing director of foodcourt operator Koufu

Published on Oct 16, 2012

Mr Lee became a Christian while behind bars and was released after six weeks on account of good behaviour. -- ST FILE PHOTO

By Leonard Lim

Former school principal Lee Lip Hong, the first of dozens of men charged to plead guilty to paying for sex with an underage girl, has found a job.

He is now assisting Mr Pang Lim, founder and managing director of established foodcourt operator Koufu.

Mr Pang, 56, whose business has outlets in venues such as Kallang Leisure Park, Sentosa and West Mall, said yesterday that he was "a friend of a friend" but declined to give further details of Mr Lee's job scope.

Both Mr Pang and Mr Lee are said to be well-regarded members of the local Chinese clan community. On Monday, Mr Lee would say only that he was "thanks to God's grace, managing fine, learning in my new job".

He and his boss declined to reveal when he started working at Koufu but it is believed to have been within the past few weeks.

 

[Anonymouse]

Two more jailed in online vice ring case
By Alvina Soh | Posted: 25 October 2012 1731 hrs

SINGAPORE: Two more men have been jailed for having sex with an underage prostitute.

Lee Vin Sen has been sentenced to ten weeks jail.

The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to paying the girl S$450 for sex at Marina Bay Sands Hotel on 23 September 2010.

He is the 13th man to be sentenced for having paid sex with an underage girl in a high-profile online vice ring case.

District Judge Chay Yuen Fatt called Lee an "accidental client".

Lee's lawyer, Ms Lim Kim Hong, said her client did not "actively go online looking for sexual services," nor was he involved in the booking of the girl and the hotel.

She highlighted that it was Lee's friend instead, who had contacted the girl's pimp and arranged a tryst with her.

Lee came into the picture after his friend lost money at a casino and was unable to pay for the girl's services.

The father-of-two agreed and proceeded to have sex with the girl, who was 17 years old at that time.

Ms Lim added that Lee had acted in a moment of folly and was "very remorseful".

The court also heard that Lee has been "mentally unstable" since he was charged and has been "receiving treatment for the past six months."

Noting that Lee was not actively involved in the booking of the girl, the judge said that Lee's culpability was "a shade lesser."

A second man was also sentenced for a similar offence.

37-year-old businessman Lee Ching Hsuin, was jailed 12 weeks for paying the same girl S$500 for sex at a hotel at Lavender Street on 6 November 2010.

Under Singapore law, it is an offence to have paid sex with a girl below 18 years of age.

- CNA/xq

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Accounts executive jailed 11 weeks for having paid sex with underage girl

By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 20 November 2012 1707 hrs

SINGAPORE: An accounts executive was sentenced to 11 weeks' jail on Tuesday for having paid sex with an underage girl in the high-profile online vice ring case.

Choong Sin Jian, 28, a Singapore Permanent Resident, faced two charges but the prosecution proceeded with one charge, and took the other into consideration.

The court heard that Choong paid $650 on two occasions in January last year, for the sexual services of the girl, who was then 17 years old.

The offences took place at the Strand Hotel in Bencoolen Street.

Choong is one of 51 men brought to court for having paid sex with the girl, who was described as an 18-year-old on a website run by a pimp, Tang Boon Thiew.

Choong had sent a text message to Tang requesting the girl's services.

He is the 15th man implicated in this case to be jailed.

Sentences meted out so far have ranged between nine and 13 weeks.

Choong's lawyer Mr Peter Fernando asked the court for either a fine or a pre-sentence report, as his client was extremely remorseful, and was a first-time offender.

He added that Choong had been deceived into believing the girl was 18 years old, and that his client had already lost his job as a result of his involvement in the case.

Mr Fernando also noted that the girl was only two months shy of her 18th birthday at the time the offences were committed.

But Senior District Judge See Kee Oon said this did not absolve Choong from liability, as he chose not to exercise due diligence.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ramesh Ethan Ananda earlier told the court that Choong did not ask the girl for her age.

Senior District Judge See then noted that Choong had been the one to initiate the transactions, and had not chosen to plead guilty at an early stage.

Still, he accepted that Choong had not deliberately or actively sought out an underage prostitute, and was unlikely to re-offend.

"General deterrence remains the primary consideration on the facts of this case," he said.

Choong could have been jailed up to seven years and fined.

- CNA/de

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Howard Shaw released from prison

Posted: 30 November 2012 1913 hrs

File picture of Howard Shaw. Shaw was among 51 men charged with paid sex with an underage girl.

SINGAPORE: Former executive director of the Singapore Environment Council, Howard Shaw, has been released from prison after serving his jail term.

A prison spokesman said Mr Shaw was released on Friday.

The 41-year-old grandson of Shaw Organisation's founder had served eight weeks of his 12-week jail term, which started on October 5, 2012.

A prison inmate in Singapore is granted a one-third remission of his prison sentence, and can be released after serving two-thirds of his sentence if he has not breached prison discipline.

Mr Shaw was sentenced on July 30 this year for having paid sex with an underage girl.

He was the 12th person to be sentenced in the high-profile online vice ring case involving the girl, who was then 17 years old.

He had appealed against his sentence but subsequently withdrew the appeal.

- CNA/fa

 

[Barin]

Man gets 11 weeks' jail for sex with underage girl
By Alice Chia | Posted: 19 December 2012 1223 hrs

SINGAPORE: A 37-year-old man was sentenced on Wednesday to 11 weeks' jail for having sex with an underage prostitute.

Tan Wei Siong pleaded guilty to one charge of paying the girl $450 for sex at Hotel 81 Bencoolen on 6 October 2010.

Tan is one of the 51 men charged with having paid sex with the girl in a high-profile online vice ring case. He is the 16th man sentenced in the case.

At the time of the offence, Tan was employed as a management executive with Siglap South Community Centre.

He got to know about the girl through a website advertising escort services of various women. The website was operated by a 38-year-old pimp, Tang Boon Thiew.

The court was told that Tan sent an SMS to Tang on 5 October 2010, enquiring if the girl was available.

When Tang replied "yes", Tan proceeded to book the hotel room. Tang then informed the girl about the hotel room number.

The girl was 17 years old at that time.

The maximum penalty for commercial sex with a person below 18 is seven years' jail and a fine.

- CNA/al

 

[Anonymouse]

Pimp in online vice ring scandal pleads guilty

By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 03 January 2013 1445 hrs

SINGAPORE: The pimp behind the online vice ring scandal involving an underage girl appeared in court on Thursday.

Tang Boon Thiew, 39, pleaded guilty to 20 charges, including living in part on the earnings of prostitutes, as well as abetting men in obtaining the sexual services of the girl, who was then 17 years old.

He had 82 other charges taken into consideration.

A total of 51 men have been charged for having paid sex with the girl, and 16 of them have been dealt with.

The court heard that Tang ran a social escort agency where some of the women, including the 17-year-old girl, provided sexual services to the clients.

He would take a 50-per cent cut of what the women earned.

According to court documents, Tang secured about 698 bookings for 17 escorts between September 2010 and November 2011. He received over $185,700 in prostitution earnings from them.

The then underage girl worked for Tang between September 2010 and February 2011.

Sometime in September 2010, Tang obtained the girl's mobile phone number from her previous modelling agency and asked if she wanted to "earn good money".

She agreed to take on the job, and on a separate occasion, met him at Hotel 81 in Chinatown, where he booked a room and proceeded to take photographs of her in her lingerie, as well as in the nude.

After he photographed her, he asked her to give him oral sex and then paid her $50.

During that time, Tang secured 82 bookings for the girl, and received about $21,700 from her earnings. She provided sexual services for between $450 and $850 per session.

Tang knew she wasn't 18 but told her not to disclose her real age to her clients.

He also did not come clean to clients who asked about the girl's age.

Tang will be sentenced on January 11.

Shashi Nathan, lawyer of Tang Boon Thiew, said: "Obviously, the whole prosecution, the trial, the sentencing has taken a lot out of him. I think to some extent, he wants to get this over and done with. I think he's willing to face his responsibilities, he wants to serve sentence, so he's hoping to resolve this as soon as possible."

- CNA/ac/de