SINGAPORE, April 3 — A yoga instructor was sentenced to nine months’ jail and fined S$1,000 (RM2,950.93) yesterday for molesting a student, but will be appealing against his conviction and sentence.

Rakesh Kumar Prasad, 26, was convicted in February, after an 11-day trial, of touching and pinching a regular student’s breast while they were alone in a studio at Tampines Grande’s Real Yoga outlet.

On March 13, District Judge Luke Tan found him guilty of pinching the victim’s left breast and touching it by slipping his hand inside her sports bra on April 26, 2015.

Rakesh was also convicted of using criminal force against her by forcefully grabbing the back of her neck.

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The victim, who cannot be named, was 25 at the time.

She testified during the trial that she had smacked his hand away and told him not to touch her breasts.

But Rakesh seemed undeterred and told her: “Why cannot touch?… It’s not like there is anything to touch.”

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Yesterday, deputy public prosecutor James Chew sought a 12-month jail sentence with three strokes of the cane, saying deterrence was “particularly needed” as Rakesh abused his position of trust as an instructor.

He displayed no remorse, Chew added.

But Rakesh’s lawyer Steven Lam argued for a nine-month jail term with no caning, stating the incident happened “quite fast” even though there was skin-to-skin contact.

The proceedings against Rakesh “have been punishing”, added Lam.

For three years, the Indian national could not leave Singapore to see his family members and, because of the trial, could not return to India to attend his sister’s wedding.

Lam argued that Rakesh could not have slipped his hand into the woman’s sports bra or grabbed her breast as his hands were on her back.

The victim made allegations against his client so that she could get about S$1,400 in refunds for the remainder of her one-year Real Yoga membership, as her parents were against her practice, Lam claimed.

Rakesh had more than 50 testimonials from his employer, colleagues and former students who vouched for his character.

Lam maintained his client “carried out his duties as an instructor with professionalism and had never crossed the line”.

District Judge Tan agreed caning was not warranted in Rakesh’s case as it was not as egregious as a previous case and there was no wrongful restraint.

His bail has been doubled to S$16,000 pending the appeal. — TODAY