Singaporean teacher jailed for having sex with a student

SINGAPORE: A female teacher has been handed a one-year jail term for having sex with her 15-year-old male student.

The teacher, who turned up in court with several family members, broke down upon her sentencing. 

She pleaded guilty last week to two counts of sexual offences with a boy under 16 years of age.

Both parties cannot be named due to a gag order issued by the court. 

District Judge Eugene Teo said the accused had "no predatory paedophilic tendencies".

The 32-year-old woman was "traumatised" after a boating incident during an overseas school trip.

The judge said the slim and petite woman, who is also a married mother-of-two, did not accept psychological help.

He said this "culminated in her failing to exercise proper judgement and take appropriate steps."

In his sentencing, the judge also emphasised that schools were not "acceptable venues for such illicit pursuits" and that students were not "acceptable partners in lust."

According to court documents, the teacher and the student went abroad for a student leader camp in 2011, where she acted as a chaperone. 

A boating accident left the boy traumatised, and he started confiding in her. Not long after, they exchanged phone numbers and started dating. 

Sometime in December 2011, the teacher took the boy to her flat where she performed oral sex on him with his consent. 

She took him to her home again the following month, and had sex with him consensually. The boy was a virgin during the time of the offence. 

The illicit affair only came to light in February this year when the boy's parents confronted their son about their relationship. 

They then lodged a complaint to the school, which swiftly led to the teacher's resignation. 

For the offence, the teacher could have been jailed up to 10 years and fined on each charge.

- CNA/de