A former music teacher was sentenced to 20 months in jail yesterday for molesting two boys during lessons.
The District Court has heard that Ian Nash, 33, admitted twice molesting a nine-year-old at West Island School, in Pok Fu Lam, and molesting an eight-year-old once at his home, in February this year.
In sentencing, Deputy District Judge Garry Tallentire accepted that Nash was genuinely remorseful for what he had done. The court recommended that the defendant, a part-time teacher at the time, receive psychological treatment. The court had previously heard that Nash's acts had arisen from his chronic sense of isolation and difficulty in self-expression.
His lawyer, Christopher Morley, said experts' reports showed that Nash, because of his psychological problems, had unwillingly let himself seek consolation and had committed the offences without premeditation. However, the judge said the acts were deliberate, as the court had heard the molestations took place on three occasions.
When considering the jail term, Judge Tallentire adopted 33 months as the starting point but gave a one-third discount because of Nash's guilty plea. A further two months was dropped for sparing the two boys testifying in court.
Prosecutor Sezen Chong told the court that the British teacher molested the older boy on or about February 3 and 17, and the younger boy on February 19. The last two incidents occurred in a music room at the school.
