SINGAPORE: A Nanyang Technological University (NTU) student struggling to pay for his accommodation decided to obtain voyeuristic recordings for money after coming across an online advertisement offering payment for such material.How Zhong Ting, 25, who was a third-year undergraduate at the time, then entered the female-only sections of a residential hall in an attempt to film such recordings.He did not succeed in capturing any videos and was eventually caught after complaints were lodged against him.How pleaded guilty to one count each of criminal trespass and attempted voyeurism on Friday (May 29), with another count of criminal trespass to be taken into consideration when he is sentenced.At the close of the hearing, District Judge Terence Tay ordered that How be assessed for a mandatory treatment order (MTO), which directs offenders suffering from certain treatable psychiatric conditions to undergo treatment in place of other forms of punishment.The court heard that How was a third-year aerospace engineering undergraduate at NTU and was staying at its Hall of Residence 14 at the time of the offences in 2025.Hall 13, which is adjacent to his hall, has female-only residential sections accessible only to authorised residents through key-fob access. How was aware of the restrictions.According to the prosecution, How came across an advertisement on online classifieds platform Locanto offering payment for voyeuristic material.As he was having difficulty paying his accommodation fees, he decided to produce such material to supplement his income.On May 2, 2025, shortly before 12.25am, How left his hall with his mobile phone and headed to a female-only floor in Hall 13. He knew that a faulty gate would allow him to bypass the access restrictions.After ensuring no one was nearby, How tried to enter a female toilet to record women showering.However, he could not access the toilet as a key fob was needed for entry. He returned shortly afterwards with his own key fob but was still unable to enter. His actions were captured on closed-circuit television cameras. A campus security officer received a complaint about him and reviewed the footage.The officer alerted the hall manager, but How had already left the area.Four days later, on May 6, How returned to the same toilet at night with the same intention. He loitered outside the toilet before leaving and returning within minutes.The same campus security officer received another complaint and directed the hall manager to investigate. How was stopped by the hall manager and admitted that he intended to commit voyeurism.The campus security officer called the police and How was arrested on May 7, 2025 at 12.10am.Deputy Public Prosecutor Chin Jincheng said the prosecution did not object to the calling of an MTO suitability report in light of a psychiatric assessment, which stated that How's attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and voyeuristic disorder had contributed to his offences.How's lawyer Joyce Khoo also asked for her client to be assessed for an MTO.Judge Tay then ordered that How undergo an assessment at the Institute of Mental Health to determine his suitability for an MTO.His sentencing has been fixed for Jul 15.For criminal trespass, How may be jailed up to three months, or fined up to S$1,500 (US$1,173), or both.For attempted voyeurism, he could be jailed up to two years, and/or fined, and/or caned.