SINGAPORE — A former employee of the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) has been hauled to court over numerous alleged sexual offences, including molesting women in the hospital and secretly taking videos of vulnerable patients in the shower.

The 35-year-old Singaporean man returned to court on Friday (July 3) for a further mention of his case after he was charged earlier this year.

He faces 42 charges in total, mostly of insulting women’s modesty and voyeurism.

His victims cannot be named due to court orders to protect their identities. While his name is not covered under the order, TODAY is not naming him as it could lead to his victims being identified.

Court documents showed that the man allegedly targeted at least 12 female employees and patients from Aug 30 last year to March 2. 

Many of the alleged incidents took place in a particular ward.

He was fired from his job on March 11 and the hospital has been helping the police with their investigations, an IMH spokesperson told TODAY without giving further details of the man’s job scope.

"We are not able to comment further as the case is now before the courts. IMH has reached out to the affected patients and staff and our priority is to provide support to them at this time,” the spokesperson added.

The man is accused of taking several videos of his victims showering or changing their clothes in the ward or a changing room meant for employees.

He also purportedly filmed up the skirts of women in a lift at IMH and on an escalator at Canberra MRT Station.

On Sept 6 last year, he is said to have molested a 25-year-old woman in an IMH activity room. It is unclear what was her relationship with him, if any.

On another occasion, he is accused of molesting a 29-year-old woman in the ward by removing a blanket covering the bottom half of her body and exposing her private parts. He allegedly did this twice within a five-minute period on Nov 21 last year.

Then, on Feb 3 and 22 this year, he purportedly committed voyeurism offences by filming two patients when they were each taking their shower.

The patients are considered vulnerable persons under the law. 

The provision for enhanced penalties for crimes against vulnerable persons took effect this year. 

Those convicted can face up to twice the maximum punishment for such offences.

If convicted of the charges of insulting a woman’s modesty, the man could be jailed up to a year or fined, or both.
A person could be charged with insulting women's modesty if the offence took place before Jan 1 this year. From Jan 1, amendments to the Penal Code kicked in such that voyeurism is now a specific offence under Section 377BB. If convicted of voyeurism, the man faces up to two years’ jail or a fine, or both.

If convicted of filming the vulnerable persons, he could be jailed up to four years.

He remains out on bail of S$25,000 and will return to court on July 27.