SINGAPORE, Dec 11 — A National University of Singapore (NUS) student allegedly trespassed into a women’s toilet at a residential hall on two occasions earlier this year, in order to take photos of female students showering.

Ryan You Jun Chao, 25, is accused of doing so on February 14 at about 7.15am, and on March 5 at about 2.15am.

The Singaporean was first charged on October 30 with two counts each of criminal trespass and insulting a woman’s modesty. He returned to a district court today for a further mention of the case.

His lawyer told the court that he intends to plead guilty to the charges on January 20 next year. 

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If convicted of criminal trespass, he could be jailed for up to three months, fined up to S$1,500 or both. If convicted of insulting a woman’s modesty, he could be jailed up to a year, fined or both.

The female students and the name of the hall cannot be named due to a court gag order to protect their identities.

An NUS spokesperson told TODAY that support and assistance was immediately offered to the victims as soon as the university learned of the incidents. 

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A “no-contact order” has been imposed on You, the spokesperson said. This means he is not allowed to contact the alleged victims.

A disciplinary board has also imposed a suspension, a deferment of his graduation, and mandatory counselling and rehabilitation sessions on You. These will be part of his formal education record at the university.

According to court records, You's application to travel overseas for a holiday with his girlfriend and her family later this month was approved last month.

Alleged offences took place before NUS beefed up sanctions

You’s alleged offences were committed before an incident involving Ms Monica Baey — an NUS undergraduate who was also filmed showering in a hall — catapulted the issue of campus voyeurism into the national spotlight.

The NUS spokesperson said that the two purported incidents involving You happened before the university imposed tougher sanctions in June for sexual misconduct on campus.

The sanctions now include:

  • A minimum one-year suspension for serious offences
  • Expulsion for serious offences
  • Offenders receiving a notation of the disciplinary action on their university transcript and certification from a counsellor and/or medical professional before they are allowed to return to campus after their suspension

In the wake of the Monica Baey saga, NUS also covered gaps in shower cubicles, increased the number of security guards at hostels and started installing new locks on hostel restroom entrances. — TODAY