Man in Singapore gets 9 years’ jail & caning for sexually assaulting Sec 1 stepdaughter
On Thursday (22 May), a man in Singapore was sentenced to nine years and seven months’ jail for sexually assaulting his stepdaughter on multiple occasions.
He was also given 11 strokes of the cane, The Straits Times reported.
This came after the 36-year-old man pleaded guilty to three charges:
- Sexual assault by penetration of a minor
- Aggravated outrage of modesty
- Voyeurism
Man sexually assaults stepdaughter
According to Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Lynn Tan, the man had taken care of the victim since she was in kindergarten.
They spent much of their time together, and when the girl was eight, her mother married the accused, and they had two sons together.
In 2020, when the victim was between 12 and 13 years old, the man entered her room at night and slept beside her.
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She felt him touching her under her clothes and quickly moved away.
Later, when she noticed he had his eyes closed, she girl went to the master bedroom and told her mother what had happened.
Mother intervened, but abuse continued
Upon hearing this, the victim’s mother immediately confronted her husband, telling him that he was not to sleep with her daughter anymore.
However, three years later, when the victim was 15, she discovered the man’s mobile phone placed on the bathroom window ledge while she was showering.
Realising she was being recorded, she shouted at him, prompting him to quickly remove the phone and leave.
Man molested victim & slapped her buttocks
Later that year, the pair were home alone when she requested him to massage her ankle — which she had injured while playing sepak takraw.
He then repeatedly grazed her thigh while asking if it hurt, prompting the victim to push his hand away.
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Later, when she fell asleep, the accused went on to sexually assault her.
After the lewd act, he pleaded with her not to tell anyone and promised not to repeat his actions.
The next day, however, he proceeded to slap her buttocks and toucher her arms and shoulders.
Victim resorted to self-harm
The repeated abuse took a toll on the victim, resulting in her cutting herself with a penknife.
To avoid her stepfather, she also often spent time at her grandmother’s house.
In Aug 2023, the victim finally confided in her teacher — who urged her to see the school counsellor.
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Thereafter, the counsellor arranged to meet the victim’s aunts, as the teen felt that her mother might not believe her.
The victim was eventually brought to lodge a police report after her aunts and mother confronted the man.
5 other charges considered when sentencing
During sentencing, the prosecution sought a jail term of between nine years and seven months and 10 years and three months, as well as 11 strokes of the cane.
The man’s lawyer, on the other hand, asked for seven years’ jail and 11 strokes of the cane.
Five other charges were taken into consideration:
- Four charges of molesting the victim
- One charge of possessing obscene films
