Probation for taking upskirt video, having obscene films

A 20-year-old man who took upskirt videos at a shopping mall and had more than 1,000 obscene films in his possession was sentenced to 15 months' probation yesterday.

Gan Wey Ian was a full-time national serviceman when he committed the offences at Tampines 1 mall on Oct 10 last year.

He had pleaded guilty to one charge each of insulting modesty and having obscene films.

The court heard that Gan had booked out of army camp that day and was hanging out at the shopping mall when he noticed three people ahead of him riding the escalator from the fourth to fifth floor.

He found one of them - a 24-year-old woman - pretty and decided to take an upskirt video of her using his mobile phone. He placed the phone under her skirt, but was caught doing so.

When confronted by the victim's two friends, he refused to hand over his mobile phone and the police were called.

The police seized his mobile phone and conducted a raid at his home in Mount Sinai Rise, where his laptop was seized for investigation.

Further forensic investigations were done on the seized items. Gan was found to have 1,127 obscene films.

Gan, who has just completed his full-time national service, has been diagnosed with impulse control disorder by a Raffles Hospital psychiatrist.

Yesterday Gan, represented by lawyer Chia Boon Teck, was placed on 15 months' probation on condition that he remain indoors between 10pm and 6am, attend an offence-specific treatment programme and do 80 hours of community service.

He was also banned from using any image-capturing device.

His parents signed a $5,000 bond to ensure his good behaviour.

District Judge Luke Tan told Gan to go through the programme and whatever treatment prescribed.

"At the end of the day, what you make of your life depends on you,'' he said.

The maximum penalty for insulting modesty is one year's jail and a fine. Gan could have been fined up to $1,000 for each obscene film, up to a maximum of $40,000, or jailed for up to 12 months or both.

elena@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 13, 2015.
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