Man sexually assaulted boy, 12, in public pool toilet
He molested the 12-year-old in a public swimming complex toilet before the boy's swimming lesson.
Supermarket sales assistant Lum Siew Hon then lured him into a cubicle after the class and sexually assaulted him.
In a case that prosecutors said would inevitably generate significant public disquiet, Lum, now 63, was yesterday convicted of two counts of sexual penetration, and one count of molestation, of a minor under 14.
Three other charges were taken into consideration.
The boy, whose identity is protected by a gag order, had regular Saturday swimming lessons at the swimming complex.
On Nov 10, 2018, at about 4pm, Lum saw the boy touching himself in the toilet before his lesson and molested him while they were at the urinals.
Lum did not know the boy had very low intellectual functioning, said Deputy Public Prosecutors Gail Wong and Mark Yeo.
At 5pm, the boy and a classmate went to the toilet to change after their swimming lesson.
GRANDFATHER?
Lum, who the classmate assumed was the boy's grandfather, asked the boy to join him in a cubicle. Locking the door, Lum then sexually assaulted him.
That night, the boy told his mother what happened and they lodged a police report.
Lum was arrested the next day. He was later assessed by a psychiatrist and found to have no mental disorder and a moderate risk of sexual re-offending.
Seeking eight years' jail, and another six months' jail in lieu of caning, the prosecutors said Lum specifically targeted the young, vulnerable victim and was persistent in offending.
Said the DPPs: "The victim and other children are entitled to feel safe in a public space like the swimming complex."
Defence lawyer Sunil Sudheesan asked for five to six years' jail, arguing that his client had acted on impulse.
The case has been adjourned to April 15 for sentencing.
For sexual penetration of a minor under 14, Lum can be jailed for up to 20 years and fined. Lum cannot be caned as he is above 50.
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