Former swimming coach jailed and caned for repeatedly molesting 10-year-old student

A former swimming coach in Singapore, Quek Yeong Kang, has been sentenced to two years' imprisonment and three strokes of the cane for repeatedly molesting a 10-year-old student over a month. The court convicted him on three charges of molestation, dismissing his defense that the victim had fabricated the allegations to switch coaches.

Quek, a 49-year-old Singaporean with 20 years of coaching experience, was found guilty by Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan. The victim, who was 12 at the time of her testimony, described how Quek had touched her inappropriately on three separate occasions in October 2023 while she was in the swimming pool. She used dolls in court to demonstrate the acts, recounting how she initially thought the first instance might be an accident but realized it was not after it occurred multiple times.

During one class, the victim questioned her older sister about whether Quek had touched her inappropriately, and her sister confirmed he had. The victim later confided in her father, who contacted Quek's fellow coach to obtain his number. The father then called Quek, who reportedly became flustered and unable to answer when questioned, leading to the police being involved.

Further corroboration came from the victim's younger sister, who also testified that Quek had touched her while she was floating in the pool. Another coach testified that instructors should only hold students' hands or arms above water during stroke demonstrations to ensure contact is visible to others, implying that Quek's actions were outside standard coaching practice.

Four other students provided statements to the police, with three recalling Quek tickling students during lessons, which they found unusual. The court's decision to convict Quek, rejecting his claims of fabricated allegations, underscores the seriousness of the offenses and the impact on the young victim.