Church had barred Jonathan Wong from working with kids

PHOTO: York & County Press

The church that former scholar Jonathan Wong Wai Kheong (above) attended knew of his 2010 conviction in the UK for downloading child pornography.

The Professional Standards Office (PSO) of the Catholic Church in Singapore told The New Paper that the parish learnt of Wong's UK conviction through local media reports.

When Wong returned in January last year, he joined the church choir, but was barred from working with children. But he subsequently had sex with an underage choir member.

Without responding to Wong’s case specifically, the PSO spokesman said: “In cases where (current and/or previous) convictions were made public, parishes and the PSO would take note of the matter and act to bar such individuals from working with children.”

Other organisations said that they, too, take precautions when it comes to those who may come into contact with children.