<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>10 years, 12 strokes for abusing boy
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Khushwant Singh
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Selvaraju could have been jailed for 20 years for his crime.
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->A WATER cooler repairman was sentenced to 10 years and 12 strokes of the cane yesterday after sexually abusing a seven-year-old in a school toilet.
Indian national Selvaraju Jayaselvam, 26, pleaded guilty to performing oral sex on the young boy. He also tried to get the boy to do the same to him.
The boy cannot be named and neither can details that could lead to his identification be published.
The court heard that the repairman, who came here in December 2007, was checking water coolers in the school last July 1.
When the boy went to the toilet and water cooler, Selvaraju, who was repairing it, struck up a conversation with him. He also went into the toilet and asked the boy to help check if the flushing systems were working. There, he performed oral sex on the boy in a cubicle.
That afternoon, the victim told his father.
Selvaraju was arrested on July 3.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Hon Yi asked for a stiff sentence as the offence occurred in a school.
Selvaraju, expressing remorse, said until now he cannot explain why he committed the offence.
This is the first case of its kind since the provision for abusing those below the age of 14 was included in the Penal Code last February, Under the new law, an offender can be jailed for a maximum of 20 years while the minimum penalty is eight years in jail and 12 strokes of the cane.
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Khushwant Singh
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
Selvaraju could have been jailed for 20 years for his crime.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->A WATER cooler repairman was sentenced to 10 years and 12 strokes of the cane yesterday after sexually abusing a seven-year-old in a school toilet.
Indian national Selvaraju Jayaselvam, 26, pleaded guilty to performing oral sex on the young boy. He also tried to get the boy to do the same to him.
The boy cannot be named and neither can details that could lead to his identification be published.
The court heard that the repairman, who came here in December 2007, was checking water coolers in the school last July 1.
When the boy went to the toilet and water cooler, Selvaraju, who was repairing it, struck up a conversation with him. He also went into the toilet and asked the boy to help check if the flushing systems were working. There, he performed oral sex on the boy in a cubicle.
That afternoon, the victim told his father.
Selvaraju was arrested on July 3.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Hon Yi asked for a stiff sentence as the offence occurred in a school.
Selvaraju, expressing remorse, said until now he cannot explain why he committed the offence.
This is the first case of its kind since the provision for abusing those below the age of 14 was included in the Penal Code last February, Under the new law, an offender can be jailed for a maximum of 20 years while the minimum penalty is eight years in jail and 12 strokes of the cane.
