Loh Siang Piow, 75, a veteran track and field coach, was sentenced to 21 months’ jail yesterday by District Judge Marvin Bay.
Loh, more commonly known by many in the sports community as Loh Chan Pew, was found guilty last month of using criminal force on the female athlete, who was 18, by rubbing her genitals on two occasions while massaging her thighs.
Loh was expressionless as his sentence was announced.
Judge Bay said that there was a “deeply egregious abuse of trust”.
The crimes took place at the old Tampines Stadium on two Sundays in 2013.
The court heard, during the trial which began in 2018, that as the victim was laying on a bench during a massage after a private training session, Loh touched her groin over her thighs.
During the other incident, Loh was described as having rubbed her genitals over her tights during the massage and when she told him to stop, he replied: “just relax”.
The girl said in an impact statement submitted, which was read out to the court, that the trial itself was “a hundred times more torturous than the experience itself”.
However, she added: I thought speaking up would be the right thing to do. I never imagined that this would turn into such a nightmare. I hope more can be done to protect victims of sexual assault who speak up.”
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Gail Wong cited factors that included abuse of authority and trust, premeditation and a “patent lack of remorse” as she urged the court to jail Loh for at least 24 months, while stressing the importance of using the sentence as a deterrent.
Loh’s defence lawyer Victor Lee however, argued that his client had good character, among other reasons, and sought a jail term of five to six months and seven to ten months for the first and second charges respectively and concurrently.
Loh cannot be caned as he is more than 50 years old.
For each charge of outrage of modesty, he could have been jailed for up to two years and/or fined.