Yoga instructor jailed for molesting student
A yoga instructor who molested his student before forcefully grabbing the back of her neck was jailed for nine months and fined $1,000 yesterday.
After a 12-day trial that began in 2016, District Judge Luke Tan found Indian national Rakesh Kumar Prasad guilty earlier this year of one count each of outraging the modesty of the assistant manager and using criminal force on her.
He committed the offences against the woman, then aged 25, at a Real Yoga studio in Tampines between 12.40pm and 1.15pm on April 26, 2015.
Deputy Public Prosecutor James Chew said in his submissions that she was the only student in the class when Rakesh repeatedly molested her. He also said she should not shout in class when she told him to stop.
DPP Chew said: "The victim... did not leave the class or seek help immediately because she was in a state of shock and disbelief. She felt helpless in that environment and did not know what to do.
"She had felt violated and embarrassed by the accused's actions, and was in disbelief that this could happen to her in a yoga class."
The woman alerted the police the next day.
DPP Chew urged Judge Tan to sentence Rakesh to at least a year's jail with three strokes of the cane.
He said: "The accused had abused his position as a yoga instructor in repeatedly violating the victim in the midst of the yoga class."
Defence lawyer Steven Lam pleaded for a nine-month jail term, stressing that the touches were "fleeting".
Rakesh, who will be appealing against his conviction, was offered bail of $16,000. - SHAFFIQ ALKHATIB
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