Ex-police officer gets 12 weeks' jail in online vice
ring case
SINGAPORE: A policeman's long career came crashing
down after he was jailed 12 weeks on Monday for having paid sex
with an underage girl in the high-profile online vice
case.
39-year-old Tan Wee Kiat, who has been in the police
force for 14 years, was one of several men charged for having paid
sex with the same girl.
In his sentencing, District Judge Chay Yuen Fatt
said that Tan, who did not verify the girl's age, "should have
known better." However, he noted that Tan, a senior police officer,
did not commit the offence while on duty.
Tan, who was dressed in black from head to toe, appeared calm
during sentencing. The court heard that he was diagnosed with
depression due to stress, during the time of the offence.
Tan came across the girl's services online and contacted her pimp
Tan Boon Thiew. He paid the girl S$600 for sex at Hotel 81
Bencoolen in December 2010. The girl was seventeen years old
then.
Under Singapore law, it is illegal to have paid sex with a girl
below 18 years of age.
A week ago, Tan's lawyer, Mr Luke Lee said in mitigation that Tan
was "facing stress from his work and personal life". He also urged
the court to take into consideration Tan's "long years of public
service" as a Police Superintendent.
Channel NewsAsia understands that Tan has been seeing a
psychiatrist since 2008.
Tan is the third man to be sentenced so far.
Former principal of Pei Chun Public School Lee Lip Hong was
sentenced to nine weeks' jail for a similar offence with the same
underage girl. Lee, 39, was released from Changi Prison in June
after serving six weeks' jail. The early remission was because of
his good behaviour.
On July 30, former executive director of the Singapore Environment
Council Howard Shaw was jailed three months for having paid sex
with an underage girl. Shaw is now out on bail of S$10,000 pending
an appeal.
-CNA/ac
