Man who took 94 upskirt videos jailed

A systems technician who took close to 100 upskirt videos of women for two years was sentenced to nine months' jail on Monday.

Between 2011 and May last year, Dominic Chia Hooi Chuan, 26, took 94 videos of numerous women at MRT stations, VivoCity, White Sands and Resorts World Sentosa, where he worked.

He faced a total of 95 charges and pleaded guilty to nine charges of insulting the modesty of women and one of having obscene films at his home in Elias Road.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Paul Wong Chun Yi told the court that Chia would spot a good-looking female and follow her.

His modus operandi was to stand behind victims on an escalator and place his mobile phone on his thigh, which he would prop up by stepping onto the next step of the escalator. He was caught on May 23 last year by a member of the public who saw him taking upskirt videos of a 13-year-old girl's inner thighs and underwear at VivoCity at HarbourFront.

Police arrived at the mall and found a substantial number of photos and videos of women's inner thighs and underwear on his mobile phone when they checked. His flat was raided and 10 other similar videos were found in his laptop and smartphone. His victims could not be identified in eight of the videos.

Mr Wong said Chia admitted in his statement that he used the videos for his sexual gratification.

In passing sentence, District Judge Christopher Goh said Chia was a recalcitrant offender and that such offences were on the rise.

Last month, a former test engineer was jailed nine months for taking more than 200 upskirt videos in 10 months.

Chia, who was clad in a black T-shirt in court, could have been jailed for up to one year and/or fined on each charge of insulting the modesty a woman.

elena@sph.com.sg

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