A paedophile caught in Singapore was investigated for having sex with minors, and for making obscene films with them. But officers were in for a shock when they also discovered 5,902 obscene films, in his computer and portable hard disk.
Around 321 of those films contained child pornography; some of them featuring children as little as 2.
Online paedophile caught in Singapore
According to Today, mixed martial arts instructor Joshua Robinson, 39, has confessed to being an online sexual predator with a fetish for 'girls in school uniform'.
He was guilty on two counts- having sex with two girls, both 15, and filming them in the act. Apparently, he lured them through online dating websites, and claimed to be much younger than what he was.
One of those girls had a mental breakdown when she realised she had been filmed in the act; she informed her parents, who in turn alerted the police.
According to The New Paper, he has shown little remorse. Even on bail, he once showed a 6-year-old girl an obscene film of him and a woman.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicholas Lai said, "After the accused had shown (the girl) the video, he asked (her) whether she liked it. (The girl) did not reply. He then told (her) not to tell anyone."
Paedophile jailed in Singapore
According to The Straits Times, on March 2, former visual effects artist turned MMA Instructor Joshua Robinson, was sentenced to 4 years of jail.
The Today quotes Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicholas Lai as saying, “From the get-go, the accused had preyed on the victims’ youth, naivety and vulnerability to satiate his sexual lust. It was never the case that the accused had intended to enter into a romantic relationship with either of them.”
Meanwhile many netizens have expressed outrage, saying the sentence was too lenient, and that, the culprit should have been caned as well.
Helplines for teenagers
Today's teenagers might be tech-savvy, but they continue to be vulnerable when it comes to meeting and sharing information with strangers they meet online.
Apparently, one of the teenage victims had body image issues. Was she looking for emotional validation when she got lured by this online predator? The Today quotes DPP Lai as saying, “He took full advantage of her own insecurity about her body image … so that he would get emotionally closer to the victim.”
Is underage sex on the rise in Singapore? If so, it is a worrying trend. There are various reasons, ranging from peer influence to wanting to gain sexual experience. Perhaps adequate counselling and education is required in this regard?
Here are some helplines which are useful for parents and teenagers looking for some expert advice:
- Child Protection and Welfare Services (MSF): For reporting of child abuse - 1800-777 0000
- Samaritans of Singapore (SOS): Provides emotional support to those who are in despair or distressed - 1800-221-4444
- Youthline : Champions youth causes - 6336-3434
- Pregnancy Crisis Service: Unwed teenagers who face unplanned, unwanted pregnancies can call for help - 6339-9770
- Teen Challenge: Provides faith-based and community-based programmes and services - 1800-829-2222
- Touchline: Provides counselling to troubled teens and youth 1800-377-2252
- eCounselling Centre (eC2): An online facility offering free counselling to youth - 6787 1125
- MeToYou Cyber Care: A cyber wellness programme for youth aged 12-18 years old - 6274 6904 / 9173 1766
- Tinkle Friend: For primary school students, especially children who are alone at home, who need someone to chat with or discuss problems with - 1800-2744 788
Also READ: Singapore teenagers think casual sex is cool
(Source: The Straits Times, The New Paper, Today)