Man jailed for molesting 6-year-old boy at Burger King

SINGAPORE: A 60-year-old man was jailed for 18 months on Friday (Nov 24) for molesting a boy in broad daylight at Burger King at Techno Park @ Chai Chee.

Abdul Halim Ibrahim, who is stateless, was selling tissue paper at the fast-food outlet when he spotted the boy, who is six.

Abdul approached the boy and sat on the empty chair next to him. The boy’s brother was also at the table, and their mother was at the counter about 10 metres away.

Abdul asked the boy how old he was before touching the child’s groin and “moving his palm in a circular motion,” court documents stated.

This was witnessed by the boy’s mother, who confronted Abdul. A security officer called the police, and Abdul was arrested later that day.

Abdul denied being sexually attracted to the child, and said that he simply “felt like touching him (the boy)” to make him “feel good,” a prosecutor told the court.

A psychiatric report showed Abdul has no mental disorder, but has past convictions dating back to 1970s for offences such as molest, theft and drugs, among others.

He pleaded guilty to one count of outraging the modesty of a child under 14.

A second charge for molesting a 60-year-old woman on board bus 222, just 12 minutes after his earlier offence, was taken into consideration during sentencing.

For molesting a child under the age of 14, Abdul could have been jailed for up to five years and fined. As he is above 50, he cannot be caned.