During tuition sessions with female students at his home, a private tutor stood directly behind them as he committed lewd acts.
On multiple occasions, he placed his private parts on the students’ backs while filming these sexual acts, disguising the contact by putting his hand on them at the same time.
On June 17, Michael Martin Lee Teck Heng, 58, was sentenced to four years and nine months’ jail after pleading guilty to various charges, including molestation and making obscene films.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Daphne Lim said more than 400 videos found on Lee’s device show him touching himself behind his female students while in the living room of his home. The videos were taken during 31 separate incidents from May to September 2019.
In May that year, Lee began taking videos of himself performing lewd acts in public, at a distance from unsuspecting women.
During that period, Lee, who taught mathematics and science, also started filming himself committing the sexual acts behind his female students.
DPP Lim said that in relation to acts that took place in Lee’s home, a total of five victims, aged between 13 and 16, were identified.
One of them, aged 15, had felt something was amiss and was uncomfortable with the close physical contact between her and Lee.
On one occasion, she suspected her tutor was performing a lewd act as she had seen him moving his hands around his shorts.
However, she did not confront him as she thought she was overthinking the situation, given her perception that he was religious, said the prosecutor.
DPP Lim said the girl was also afraid that Lee might do something worse as she was alone with him during the tuition sessions.
Lee’s acts came to light in September 2019 when a woman called the police after she saw Lee performing a lewd act in Hougang. After his arrest, hundreds of obscene films were found on his computer.
In total, Lee made 545 obscene films of him exposing himself and performing lewd acts in various public places in Singapore.
Seeking a sentence of five to six years’ jail, DPP Lim said: “The accused is a repeat sexual offender who has shown himself to be a menace to the community.”
DPP Lim said: “The accused is clearly one who has no qualms violating young women for his sexual perversion.” She added that the offences were committed in Lee’s capacity as a tutor, and as someone in a position of authority over his students.
In mitigation, defence lawyer Joyce Khoo said her client was suffering from exhibitionistic disorder when he committed the offences, citing an Institute of Mental Health doctor who found that this disorder had a contributory link to his behaviour.
Urging the court to impose a sentence of about three years and 11 months’ jail, Ms Khoo said Lee was remorseful and his family remained supportive of him, with his wife and children accompanying him to counselling and Sexaholics Anonymous sessions.
“Our client’s efforts since his arrest have borne fruit; our client has not reoffended in almost six years,” added Ms Khoo.
Nadine Chua for The Straits Times
Jail for tutor who committed lewd acts while standing behind his students
