Bus enthusiast who sexually violated boys with same hobby gets 16 years' jail and 12 strokes of cane

SINGAPORE — A bus enthusiast who sexually exploited multiple teenage boys whom he got to know through the hobby community was sentenced to 16 years' jail and 12 strokes of the cane on March 24.

Between 2018 and 2022, the man, who is now 25 years old, perpetrated sexual acts against five male victims who were aged between 13 and 21 at the time.

He pleaded guilty to four charges: one for raping a 13-year-old and one for sexual exploitation of the same victim; one for sexual assault by penetration involving a 14-year-old; and one for voyeurism committed against a 21-year-old.

Seven other charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

The offences came to light when another member of the bus-spotting community, in whom several victims had confided about the sex acts, reported him to the police.

There is a gag order on the identities of the victims and the man, who was a warehouse assistant prior to his arrest.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sarah Siaw told the court that in 2017, the man befriended a younger boy who bought bus-themed paraphernalia from him on online marketplace Carousell.

The two would meet about once a week for meals or to engage in spotting new bus models, retiring bus models or buses deployed on unusual routes, often together with other bus enthusiasts.

In November 2018, after a bus ride, the 14-year-old boy invited the man, who was then 19, and another friend, who was also in secondary school, to his home.

While the three were looking at photographs and videos of buses on the computer in the victim's bedroom, the man suddenly asked the 14-year-old for oral sex. The boy was shocked and said no.

After a few minutes, the man went to the other boy and tugged at his shorts but stopped when the boy shouted.

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A while later, the man pulled the 14-year-old onto the bed. The boy struggled, pushed the man off and got off the bed.

Before the victim could exit the bedroom, the man pushed him down onto the floor and performed oral sex on the boy.

After a while, the victim stood up and shouted at the accused: "Why did you do that to me?

The man and the friend then left the victim's home.

In 2020, the man started chatting to another boy at a bus interchange about their shared interest in buses. They then exchanged contact details.

From August 2021, the man, who was then 22, started messaging the boy, asking the then 13-year-old to send him intimate photographs and videos.

The man also became possessive and controlling, demanding that the boy meet him daily and call him frequently. He would also take photographs of the boy in his school uniform.

Between August 2021 and March 2022, the boy sent videos of himself stripping and showering at the man's request.

The man also began touching the boy in sexual ways and frequently invited the boy to his home for sexual acts.

DPP Siaw said the boy did not want to take part in these acts and found them disgusting, but he did not know what to do.

Between August and December 2021, the acts escalated to the man forcing the 13-year-old to perform oral sex on him.

The legal definition of rape was expanded in 2020 to include oral penetration without consent.

In 2022, the man got to know another victim, who was then 21 years old, through a mutual friend.

In September or October that year, the man surreptitiously filmed a video of the victim relieving himself in a public toilet.

Some of the man's victims confided in another member of the bus-spotting community, who lodged a police report on Oct 17, 2022.

The man was arrested on Oct 24, 2022, and has been remanded in custody since.

DPP Siaw said in written submissions: "What should have been an innocent hobby group for bus enthusiasts became an avenue by which the accused gained unfettered access to adolescent boys, whom he then violated in revolting ways over several years."

She sought a sentence of at least 15½ years to 17½ years' jail and 12 strokes of the cane.

The man's lawyer, Cory Wong, asked for his client to be given a jail term of not more than 12 years and two months, as well as nine strokes of the cane.

Wong highlighted that the man was 19 years old when he committed the first offence. He said the man has shown genuine remorse by cooperating with the authorities and pleading guilty at the earliest stage.

Correction note: In an earlier version of the story, we said the assault of the 14-year-old took place at the man's home. This is incorrect. The incident took place at the victim's home. We are sorry for the error.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.