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| Former advertising director engaged in sexual acts with 15-year-old after befriending her  Former telco advertising director Kwek Chuan Shan admitted to two charges of underage sex with a teen who allowed him to take sexually explicit photographs of her. -- ST FILE PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW PUBLISHED: 21 JANUARY, 12:50 PM SINGAPORE — A former telco advertising director was today (Jan 21) jailed 12 months for sexual offences involving an underage girl. Kwek Chuan Shan, 35, had earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of underage sex, with five other charges taken into consideration for sentencing. Kwek befriended the girl, who was then 15, through dating and social networking website OkCupid in 2012. In his online profile, he said he engaged in “bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism”. The girl contacted him, and in their email exchanges, told him she was 15 years old. On two occasions in November 2012, the girl went to Kwek’s apartment in Redhill Close, where the pair engaged in sexual acts which included Kwek tying her to a homemade metal frame. He also took sexually-explicit photographs of her. The incident came to light after a church friend informed the girl’s father that he had received sexually-explicit photographs of her. In pressing for the court to hand down a jail term of between 12 and 15 months, Deputy Public Prosecutor Sharmila Sripathy-Shanaz said Kwek’s offence was a serious one, given the wide age gap. “The evidence shows he had no reservations about taking advantage of the easy opportunity which presented itself to him, and exploited it fully to gratify his lust,” she added. Noting that the minor may have actively initiated the encounter, Ms Sharmila pointed out that the law places the onus on the male adult to exercise restraint and discipline in curbing carnality. In mitigation, Kwek’s lawyer Amarjit Singh told the court that his client was remorseful about what he had done. Kwek also addressed the court and apologised unreservedly to the minor and her family for the damage he had caused them. In sentencing, District Judge Low Wee Ping noted the “significant” age disparity between Kwek and the girl, but also observed that there was no evidence that Kwek had corrupted the minor, nor that he was in a position of trust with the minor. Kwek could have been jailed a maximum of 10 years and fined on each charge. CHANNEL NEWSASIA |