Man sentenced to 16 years in prison and caning for sexual assault of 8 teenage girls; impregnated 1

SINGAPORE: Over two years, a teenager sexually abused eight girls aged 13 to 16 and impregnated one of them.

The now 21-year-old was sentenced to 16 years in prison and sentenced to 14 strokes of the cane in the Supreme Court on Monday (May 13).

He pleaded guilty to five charges, including one count of sexual assault by penetration, one count of statutory rape and three counts of sexual penetration of a minor under 16 years of age.

A further twelve charges of a similar nature were taken into account when his sentence was announced.

Of the five charges the defendant pleaded guilty to, four victims were involved, all of them secondary school students between the ages of 13 and 16 at the time.

Since the defendant in some crimes was already 17 years old, his identity is protected by the Children and Youth Act.

He committed the sexual offenses against the eldest victim with two friends – A and B. We are not naming the two friends as this could lead to the identification of the accused.

A was 33 years old at the time, while B was 18 years old.

He lived alone in a one-room apartment and regularly invited large groups there to drink alcohol. One of these large groups involved the victim.

On June 12, 2021, the victim was drinking with her friends and the defendant in Admiralty Park. Court documents state that the victim met the defendant for the first time that night, but did not elaborate on how the two ended up drinking together.

The defendant asked some friends, including A and B, to join in later. They drank more, with A seen pouring alcohol on the victim.

A suggested that the group continue drinking at his house, but the victim refused. Nevertheless, he took her home and forced her to drink more. There were more than 10 people in the unit at the time and the victim was unable to sit or walk properly.

A while later, the victim’s two friends left her in the ward in the custody of the defendant. The defendant agreed to care for her even though he knew that he, A and B would likely sexually abuse her.

Although the victim was not ready, the defendant forcibly dragged her into the bedroom. Together with his two friends, the defendant abused the woman, who was too weak to stop her. She kept losing consciousness, but knew several men were involved.

The abuse stopped when the victim’s friends picked her up in the early morning of June 13, 2021. They were concerned because the victim wasn’t answering the phone.

A, who opened the front door, initially denied knowing the victim. Her friends finally managed to rescue the victim in her weakened state. Outside the unit, the victim stated that she had been raped.

A group of the victim’s friends and brothers then confronted A’s group. The confrontation became violent and a passerby called the police for help.

After the incident, the victim suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Another victim, then 14 years old, knew the defendant as her best friend’s ex-boyfriend. They met in February 2020.

On February 24, 2020, the defendant asked the victim to meet for the first time. They hung out on a landing where he made sexual advances toward her.

The girl refused when the defendant asked for sex, but relented after he gave her a “disappointed look,” according to court documents.

They had unprotected sexual intercourse several times that day and the next when the defendant stayed overnight at his cousin’s house.

After the two parted ways on February 25, 2020, the victim tried to text him several times but was ignored.

Her sexual activities came to light in June 2020 when her mother noticed that her stomach had become fuller. The victim tested positive on a pregnancy test and a police report was filed the following month.

The girl then gave birth to the child.

OTHER VICTIMS

The defendant knew a third victim, the youngest aged 13, through a mutual friend. The couple started dating on January 24, 2020, but separated on February 10, 2020.

This victim was a friend of the girl who gave birth to the defendant’s child.

The defendant asked the victim to have sex with him in his house and harassed her until she gave in.

The fourth victim, then 15, knew the defendant via Instagram in 2019.

They talked regularly and began dating. On May 22, 2020, the two met on a landing and talked.

The defendant began touching the girl and removing her clothes. The girl didn’t know what to do but told herself to just let things happen. He had unprotected sex with the girl.

A few days later, the victim met with the defendant to discuss the sexual encounter, but before they could talk, the defendant took off her clothes again. He sexually assaulted her even though she rejected his advances.

The girl then beat the defendant because she feared she would become pregnant. The defendant claimed that he would take care of her and her child.

They separated in May when the girl noticed that the defendant was talking to another girl.

This victim purchased pregnancy test kits and tested twice but the results were negative. Her teacher later found out about the incident and her parents were eventually informed.

On February 10, 2020, the defendant was given a strict warning in six cases for sexually harassing a minor under the age of 14. However, he continued to commit sexual offenses even after he was summoned for a police investigation, arrested and released on bail.

The public prosecutor’s office demanded 12 to 14 years in prison and 14 strokes of the cane.

Deputy prosecutors Lim Ying Min, Shamini Joseph and Tay Zhi Jie said in documents that the defendants’ crimes against young victims included “gross violations” of their dignity and “physical integrity.”

“The defendant had also used the Internet to reach unsuspecting young victims … and also targeted friends of his victims.”

“His track record demonstrates that he was a sexual predator who had no qualms about using young victims for his sexual gratification,” prosecutors said.

Because of his sexual assault by penetration offense, the defendant could have faced a prison sentence of up to 20 years, a fine or a beating.

For statutory rape, he could have faced up to 20 years in prison, a fine or caning.

The crime of sexual penetration of a minor under 16 years of age is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a fine, or both.