A FORMER preschool cook who regularly molested three toddlers during naptime was sentenced to more than nine years' jail today in Singapore.
The case was since described as the most horrendous acts of sexual abuse committed in such a local facility.
Teo Guan Huat, a 61-year-old Malaysian and Singapore permanent resident, had pleaded guilty on Oct 27 to three counts of molestation of minors.
Another five charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.
Today, District Judge Vince Gui said Teo’s acts were abhorrent, and that the offences represented an abuse of trust, stressing that the victims were young and defenceless.
Teo molested the victims while they were in a nap room at the pre-school.
"He deliberately targeted three defenceless and helpless children," said the judge, adding that Teo exploited the trust the parents had placed in the preschool.
He abused the children by inserting his hands into their nappies, an act he carried out multiple times a week, from May 2023 to November that year, when the teachers were not looking.
The name of the preschool cannot be published due to a gag order protecting the identities of the victims, who were between one and two years old at the time of the offences.
Teo, who was with the pre-school for about a year, eventually resigned in November 2023 when his offences were exposed.
The court heard that although he was employed as a cook at the pre-school, Teo would often escort the children for their shower. He would also set up their bedding and pat them to sleep.
An employee not named in court papers discovered the offences inadvertently in November 2023 when reviewing closed-circuit television footage for an unrelated issue.
Teo was seen inserting his hand under the diaper of a two-year-old girl.
Not able to speak up
In admitting to his offences, Teo said he has erectile dysfunction and has never been in a relationship. He said he committed the offences because he “wanted to see and wanted to touch”.
Teo admitted that he had targeted children because they were not able to speak up.
An Institute of Mental Health report showed that Teo was diagnosed with paedophilic disorder.
A police report was made on Dec 2 that year. It was not stated in court who made the police report and why there was a delay. - (Reports from The Straits Times and CNA), November 10, 2025
