A 59-year-old man was sentenced to 21 years’ jail by the High Court on 1 Sept after repeatedly sexually assaulting his young grandniece over a period of four years.
The abuse began in 2019, when the man would call the girl — then only seven years old — into his room at home and molest her.
These incidents also happened in the back of a van and even at a cinema.
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According to The Straits Times (ST), he pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated rape and two charges of aggravated sexual assault by penetration.
Six other charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.
The man cannot be named because of a gag order to protect the victim’s identity.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Lim Yu Hui said the man moved into the girl’s home in 2019, where she lived with her family.
While the girl slept in the living room, the man had his own room where he would repeatedly molest her between 2019 and 2021.
Too young to understand what was happening, the victim kept silent.
Due to her silence, his acts became bolder.
Even after moving out in late 2021, the man continued to rape the girl when he returned to the unit.
On one occasion, he followed her into the kitchen, forced her to perform oral sex on him, and only stopped when her younger brother walked in.
No other adult was at home at the time, ST said.
In December 2022, the man invited the girl and her brother to a movie in the cinema.
Although she did not want to go, the girl agreed because her brother wanted to watch the film.
During the screening, the man put his hand under her clothes and sexually violated her.
She pushed him away and moved to another seat closer to her brother.
The truth came to light on 28 June 2023, when the girl confided in her school counsellor that her granduncle sexually abused her.
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A police report was lodged the same day, and the man was arrested.
DPP Lim sought a sentence of 23 to 25 years’ jail, plus an additional year in lieu of 24 strokes of the cane.
The man could not be caned as he is above 50 years old, ST reported.
His lawyer, Mr Bernard Ee, argued for leniency, noting that his client suffers from end-stage renal failure and had been hospitalised four times since his arrest.
Justice Hoo Sheau Peng, however, said she did not take his health into account and sentenced him to 21 years’ jail.
Also read: Mother in M’sia allegedly watches as her 61-year-old boyfriend rapes her 13-year-old daughter
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Featured image adapted from Taylor & Ring and MS News. Image on the left for illustration purposes only.