NTU research fellow who took upskirt photos at university and shopping malls gets jail

Guo Zhihong recorded more than 2,200 upskirt photos of women over a six-year period. (Photo: Ili Nadhirah Mansor/TODAY)

SINGAPORE: A 30-year-old man took upskirt photos of women from 2015 until his arrest in 2021, including at numerous locations around Nanyang Technological University (NTU), shopping malls and MRT stations.

Guo Zhihong was sentenced on Monday (Mar 21) to 10 months and five weeks' jail.

He pleaded guilty to two charges of voyeurism and one charge of insulting a woman's modesty. Another seven charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

Taking all the charges into consideration, Guo recorded more than 2,200 upskirt photos over the six-year period.

The court heard that Guo was a research staff member at NTU's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the time of the offences.

Responding to CNA's queries, an NTU spokesperson said that Guo's employment was terminated with effect from Apr 22, 2021. 

"NTU has a zero-tolerance stance towards all forms of harassment, including voyeurism and sexual misconduct," said the spokesperson.

Guo had taken upskirt photos at several locations in NTU, including the overhead bridge near the Lee Wee Nam Library, around Hall 11 and its bus stop, and around Quad Cafe and Canteen B in the South Spine area.

He also committed the offences at staircases outside the Lee Wee Nam Library and Nanyang Auditorium, a staircase leading to NTU North Hill and a staircase within the South Spine area.

Guo found other victims in various shopping malls in Orchard Road and Somerset and The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.

He also took upskirt photos around MRT stations including at Orchard, Jurong East, Pioneer, Boon Lay, Dhoby Ghaut and Bukit Batok.

"Whenever the accused saw women wearing skirts, shorts or yoga pants whom he found attractive, he would take full body back view photos and upskirt photos of them," said the prosecution.

He stored the photos on a hard disk and later, when the hard disk stopped working, on a laptop. The photos were kept in folders labelled in chronological order, based on when they were recorded.

Caught red-handed

Guo's offences were discovered when he was caught in the act on Apr 11 last year.

He had made plans to have dinner by himself and take upskirt photos at Orchard MRT station.

Full report read  here.