'I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy': Dee Kosh on being labelled a paedophile even after release from jail

SINGAPORE – Former local radio deejay and YouTuber Dee Kosh, who staged a comeback on Instagram in March after his release from prison, has released a tell-all video.

In the 51-minute clip posted on video platform Rumble and teased on Instagram on Wednesday night, the 34-year-old, whose real name is Darryl Ian Koshy, spoke in detail about his court case and reiterated that he is not a paedophile.

“It’s a horrible, horrible, terrible thing to be labelled as a paedophile without being able to tell your story,” he said.

“I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. It’s something I will have to live with for the rest of my life. Google my name and that’s the first thing that comes out.”

He was convicted in August 2022 of various sexual offences, including offering cash to a boy aged below 18 for sexual services, and was jailed for 32 weeks.

Koshy had pleaded guilty in May 2022 to one charge of offering cash to a minor for sexual services, and to another charge under the Children and Young Persons Act for the attempted sexual exploitation of a young person.

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He had also pleaded guilty to a charge under the Films Act for filming himself in 2016 or 2017 engaging in sex acts with a man aged between 23 and 25.

Since his release, Koshy has posted a series of short Instagram updates, mostly light-hearted, on life after prison, showing off a buzz cut and significant weight loss.

He was more serious in his tell-all video, in which he was joined by two unnamed female guests off screen, and frequently referred to notes on his court case, such as on the penal code and results of tests to determine if he was a paedophile.

He said that the psychiatrist concluded that there were no signs of paedophilic disorder and that the risk of re-offending was very low.

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He also shared that he has since become wary of being with young people, including his cousins, and made sure he stayed away from playgrounds and even avoided taking the same lift as a teenager.

“It’s not that I’m attracted to the kids. It’s just that I don’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable,” he said.

“After three years and going to jail, I feel like I’ve paid my penance to society. I’ve done my time. I’ve paid the price more than what an average person would have to pay the price for,” he added, referring to the public scrutiny and backlash he faced since the news broke in August 2020.

He said the video was his attempt to tell his side of the story.

“It’s weird because I’m put in a very tough position, where if I don’t come out crying, people say I’m not remorseful. But if I do come out crying, people will say, ‘Oh, he’s just playing the victim.’ There’s really no winning.”

Getting emotional and shedding tears towards the end of the video, he thanked those who stood by and supported him, especially his family.

“I don’t know where the end of the tunnel is. But I’d like to believe there is one. I will just have to keep running. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes the light cannot even be seen, but just keep running.”

 

 

 

 

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