SINGAPORE – A former cook at a pre-school in Singapore was on Nov 10 sentenced to nine years, four months and seven weeks in jail, in a case that the prosecution said involved one of the most horrendous acts of sexual abuse committed in such a local facility.
Malaysian Teo Guan Huat, 61, had
pleaded guilty to three molestation charges on Oct 27.
Five other molestation charges were considered during his sentencing.
On Nov 10, District Judge Vince Gui said Teo’s acts were abhorrent, and that the offences represented an abuse of trust, stressing that the victims were young and defenceless.
Teo, a Singapore permanent resident, had molested three girls, aged one to two, while the victims were in a nap room at the pre-school.
He abused the children by inserting his hands into their nappies, an act he carried out multiple times a week, from May 2023 to November that year, when the teachers were not looking.
Teo, who was with the pre-school for about a year, eventually resigned in November 2023 when his offences were exposed.
The court heard that although he was employed as a cook at the pre-school, Teo would often escort the children for their shower. He would also set up their bedding and pat them to sleep.
These were not duties he had been hired for, the prosecution told the court in earlier proceedings, adding that this case involved one of the most horrendous acts of sexual abuse committed in a pre-school in Singapore.
In admitting to his offences, Teo said he has erectile dysfunction and has never been in a relationship. He said he committed the offences because he “wanted to see and wanted to touch”.
Teo admitted that he had targeted children because they were not able to speak up.
An Institute of Mental Health report showed that Teo was diagnosed with paedophilic disorder.
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Quek Lu Yi said the disorder had no direct contributory link to his offences, adding that it did not impair his judgment or impulse control at the time.
