SINGAPORE, Oct 31 — A former youth worker in Singapore has been sentenced to two years and six months in jail for sexual offences involving a 15-year-old girl who had previously lived at the home where he worked.

According to The Straits Times, the 31-year-old man pleaded guilty on Thursday to three counts of sexually penetrating a minor, with five other charges taken into consideration during sentencing.

The court heard that the girl had been placed at the home due to family violence and had developed a crush on the man, whose work responsibilities did not formally involve her.

Despite knowing that staff were prohibited from contacting current or former residents privately, he began messaging her on Telegram in March 2022 after she was transferred to another home.

The man subsequently initiated a relationship with the girl, regularly picking her up from school and engaging in sexual contact with her.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Yohanes Ng told the court that the man pressured the girl into performing a sexual act in May 2022 despite her initial reluctance, before later engaging in further sexual activity with her at his flat.

The offences came to light after a staff member at the girl’s new home noticed her wearing an army T-shirt, prompting the disclosure of her involvement with the man, who subsequently resigned.

The offender, who was arrested in June 2026, cannot be identified because of a court-imposed gag order protecting the girl’s identity.