Preschool teacher accused of sexual abuse – 20 more allegations

Taipei, July 10 (CNA) – Prosecutors are investigating at least 20 more allegations of sexual abuse of young girls against a former Taipei preschool teacher who has already been charged with sexually abusing six girls, they said Wednesday.

The new allegations were made to police by other parents after the man, in his 30s, was charged in August 2023, sparking a new investigation that led to the discovery of sexually explicit videos involving minors in the man’s apartment, prosecutors said.

They did not provide any further details about the new allegations.

Parents initially suspected that the man, who worked as a teacher at his mother’s private preschool, was sexually harassing children at the school in July 2022 and reported their concerns to the school.

However, the kindergarten and parents were unable to find any evidence of the alleged crimes when reviewing the school’s surveillance footage.

They nevertheless reported the case to the police, who in turn handed it over to the public prosecutor’s office. However, after examining the surveillance footage, the prosecutor decided not to press charges due to a lack of evidence.

However, in 2023, another investigation was launched when a young girl told her parents things the teacher did to her while she sat on his lap.

Investigators re-examined the preschool’s surveillance recordings and eventually found that the man had sexually molested and assaulted six children from 2021 to 2023.

Prosecutors then charged him with aggravated rape and aggravated forced obscenity for his actions against the six girls.

The case has been brought before the Taipei District Court and the verdict is expected to be announced on August 16.

At the same time, in September 2023, the Taipei Ministry of Education imposed a lifetime ban on the man and prohibited him from ever practicing the profession again.

His name was also published on a list of excluded teachers on the central government website, the ministry said.

The preschool’s license has now also been revoked because appropriate disciplinary measures were not taken in this case.