24 days' jail for Japanese teacher who recorded woman's upskirt video in MRT train

The education centre teacher recorded the upskirt video on June 29, 2019. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: ST FILE

SINGAPORE - An education centre teacher placed his mobile phone on his briefcase and recorded an upskirt video of a 25-year-old woman on an MRT train.

Japanese national Shohei Yamamoto, 33, fled when she caught him red-handed but was caught after the police were called.

The authorities later found 30 obscene films in his possession after checking his mobile phone and laptop computer. Some showed "kinky sadistic sex".

On Monday (Dec 30), Yamamoto was sentenced in a district court to 24 days' jail and a fine of $15,000, after pleading guilty to one count each of insulting a woman's modesty and possessing obscene films.

The Straits Times understands he is no longer employed by the education centre, whose name was not given in court documents.

The upskirt video was taken on June 29, the court heard.

Yamamoto had boarded the train at Potong Pasir station around 9.40am.

When he spotted the Singaporean woman, he moved towards her and recorded the clip.

The train was approaching Dhoby Ghaut station when she felt something brushing against her left calf and spotted the phone on his briefcase.

The court heard that he took off when she confronted him after they got off the train.

She reported the matter to a station master who called the police.

Yamamoto was arrested soon after and he admitted recording the upskirt video, which he deleted before he was nabbed.

His electronic devices were seized and the authorities found the obscene films in them.

For insulting the woman's modesty, he could have been jailed for up to a year and fined.

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