British teacher is jailed and sentenced to be caned for molesting three-year-old girl in Singapore 

An expat British teacher was yesterday sentenced to 18 months in jail and three strokes of the cane after he admitted molesting a three-year-old child at an education centre in Singapore.

Richard Christopher Monks, 29, was employed to teach reading to young children at a language centre on the island. 

Monks was reportedly caught on CCTV lifting up the dress of his victim and touching her inappropriately with his left hand for 15 minutes. 

Richard Christopher Monks was sentenced to 18 months in jail and three strokes of the cane after being found guilty of molesting a three-year-old child at an education centre in Singapore. CCTV footage caught Monks lifting the victim’s skirt several times as he touched her inappropriately.

Footage taken on October 20, 2018 also shows Monks using his right hand to point a camera up the girl’s skirt. 

The teacher, who was 27 at the time, used his own mobile phone to film the abuse.   

The girl’s parents became aware of the abuse when she expressed reluctance to attend future classes. 

She complained that ‘teacher Richard’ touched her, prompting her mother to call the police. 

It’s reported that there were six children present and the victim was the youngest. The others were between four and five years old. 

After gathering his class to watch a video, Monks placed himself behind the students as he was aware that a CCTV camera was installed in a corner of the classroom, The Straits Times reports.

The children’s upper bodies blocked the camera’s view of his hands.

Footage reportedly showed Monks positioning himself behind the victim as he played a video on his phone.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Hsiao Tien said the victim was ‘uncomfortable’ as she was fidgeting and turned back to look at the teacher several times.

Monks was arrested on November 1 2018 after returning from a visit to Thailand.

He originally denied molesting the girl to police.

His lawyer claimed Monks had apologised to the victim and her family.

He said that the 29-year-old had committed the crime due to a ‘momentary lapse of judgement because of work-related stress and anxiety’.

Monks has started serving his jail sentence. An offender can be jailed for up to five years if found guilty of molesting a child below 14 years old and fined or caned.