SINGAPORE — A teenager on probation for multiple counts of molestation and insulting a woman's modesty reoffended by unzipping his pants in a Popular bookstore and molesting a woman in the cashier queue.

The 18-year-old, who cannot be named as he was below 18 at the time of the offence, pleaded guilty on Monday (Jan 4) to one charge of using criminal force on a 22-year-old woman to outrage her modesty.

The court heard that the victim was queuing at the cashier counter at the bookstore in The Clementi Mall on the evening of Nov 29, 2019, when she felt something press against her rear.

Seconds later, she felt it again and she turned to see the accused with his private parts exposed.

She made a police report and the accused, who was 17 at the time, admitted that he had intentionally queued behind the victim to molest her in that fashion.

He committed the crime while he was under supervised probation, said the prosecutor. He had been given 21 months' probation in June 2018 for two counts of molestation, with other charges of insulting a woman's modesty taken into consideration.

The prosecutor asked for a reformative training suitability report, saying that the teen had acted brazenly.

He had also breached his probation that was for offences of a similar nature.

Lawyer Muhd Shafiuddin Ong asked for a probation suitability report, saying his client is remorseful and regrets his actions. He recently completed a National ITE Certificate course and intends to enlist for national service in February.

District Judge May Mesenas said she would call for a probation suitability report, but told the defence counsel that he would have to justify why probation should be considered. 

"In the meantime, you will be remanded for the purposes of the RTC (Reformative Training Centre) suitability report and seriously reflect on what you've done," she told the accused.

Parties will return next month for sentencing. CNA

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