NTU student allegedly tries to film female students showering, planned to sell videos for hostel rent
A 25-year-old university student allegedly tried to enter a women’s hostel toilet at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) to secretly film female students showering, and planned to sell the footage online.
The student, who allegedly hoped to make money to pay for hostel rent, was caught before any videos were taken and later arrested.
The man, identified in court as Hou Zhongting (transliterated from Mandarin), pleaded guilty on Friday (May 29) to two charges of trespassing and intentional harassment linked to voyeurism. Another charge was taken into consideration during sentencing.
At the time, he was a third-year student in NTU’s mechanical and aerospace engineering programme and lived on campus.
Allegedly planned to film women showering for money
Court documents showed that each hostel floor had card-access restrictions, with only female residents able to enter the women’s floor at Block 63 of Hall 13.
Before May 2, 2025, the student allegedly came across listings on online classified site Locanto, where people offered money for secretly taken videos and photos of women.
According to a Shin Min Daily News report, the accused was struggling financially and unable to afford hostel rent. Thus, he decided to secretly film female students showering and sell the voyeuristic content for profit.
Around midnight on May 2, he left his room with his phone and made his way to Block 63.
Hou reportedly took advantage of a faulty access system on the fifth floor to enter the building and walked up to the sixth floor, where the women’s hostel rooms were located.
After checking that no one was around, he allegedly tried to open the women’s toilet door but failed and left.
A minute later, he returned and tried using his own access card to enter, but was unsuccessful yet again.
Security alerted after complaints
Unbeknownst to him, campus security had already received complaints and identified him as a suspect after reviewing CCTV footage.
Security officers alerted the hostel manager but by the time the manager arrived, the accused had fled the scene.
Four days later, at about 9.16pm on May 6, Hou allegedly returned to the same women’s toilet area, appearing twice before leaving both times.
Campus security was alerted again, and the hostel manager successfully intercepted the accused at the scene.
He admitted to what he had done before police were called, and was arrested shortly after midnight the next day.
Mandatory treatment assessment not opposed
The prosecution said the student has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and voyeuristic disorder, and did not object to him undergoing a mandatory treatment assessment.
Sentencing has been adjourned to July 15.
Stomp has reached out to Nanyang Technological University for comment.
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