A 27-year-old man in Singapore has been sentenced to 16 years in prison and 15 strokes of the cane for a series of sexual offences against three young girls, including his own younger sister. The High Court ruling on 10 March came after the man pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including sexual penetration of a minor and aggravated outrage of modesty, with additional offences taken into consideration during sentencing. The case has sparked renewed discussions on child protection and the vulnerability of minors in trusted relationships.
The offences, which occurred between 2016 and 2020 when the man was aged between 19 and 22, involved predatory behaviour targeting vulnerable girls aged 11 to 14. Among the victims was the man’s sister, who was just 11 at the time of the abuse. The court heard harrowing details of how he exposed her to explicit content before molesting her, ignoring her clear refusal. The abuse only came to light in 2020 when the girl confided in family members and later school authorities, leading to a police report.
Justice Hoo Sheau Peng, in delivering the sentence, underscored the need for a strong deterrent against such crimes. She highlighted the vulnerability of the victims and the man’s persistent offending, even after being questioned by police in 2018 and arrested in 2020. “A strong message must be sent to the like-minded that preying on vulnerable victims will not be tolerated,” the judge stated during the hearing. 
A Pattern of Predatory Behaviour
The court was told that the man entered into romantic relationships with two other underage girls, aged 13 and 14, during the same period. With the first of these victims, then 14, he engaged in sexual acts in public locations such as staircase landings in 2017. The abuse was reported to her school teacher, who informed the girl’s mother, prompting a police report. Despite being called in for a statement by authorities in May 2018, the man continued his predatory actions undeterred.
In 2019, he began a relationship with a third victim, who was turning 14 that year. The court heard that he engaged in sexual acts with her on multiple occasions between late 2019 and mid-2020. His arrest in April 2020 came after police officers on patrol discovered incriminating videos on his phone while he was with the girl at a public location. Shockingly, even after this arrest, he committed further offences against the same victim, including an incident in June 2020 where he facilitated the rape of the girl by another individual at a park toilet. The accomplice in that incident has since been sentenced to eight years in jail and three strokes of the cane.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Sheldon Lim presented the prosecution’s case, emphasising the man’s recalcitrance and the severe impact on the victims. The man pleaded guilty to five charges, while 15 additional charges, including abetting rape, were considered during sentencing. The cumulative nature of the offences and the betrayal of trust, particularly in the case of his sister, weighed heavily in the court’s decision.
Broader Implications for Child Safety
This case has reignited public concern in Singapore over the safety of minors, particularly within familial and trusted relationships. The city-state is known for its stringent laws on sexual offences, with penalties such as caning serving as a hallmark of its justice system. However, the persistence of the offender despite police intervention raises questions about the mechanisms for monitoring and rehabilitating individuals accused of such crimes during ongoing investigations.
Child protection advocates have called for stronger preventive measures, including mandatory counselling and stricter bail conditions for suspects in sexual offence cases involving minors. There is also a growing push for enhanced education in schools to empower children to recognise and report abuse early. The role of educators and family members in identifying signs of abuse has been highlighted as critical, given that all three victims in this case eventually disclosed their experiences to trusted adults, leading to police action.
Singapore’s legal framework provides robust protections under the Children and Young Persons Act, alongside the Penal Code, which governs sexual offences. Penalties for sexual penetration of a minor under 16 can include up to 20 years’ imprisonment and caning, reflecting the severity with which such crimes are treated. The inclusion of caning in the man’s sentence—15 strokes—serves as a physical deterrent, a practice unique to certain jurisdictions like Singapore and Malaysia, though it remains controversial among international human rights groups.
A Call for Vigilance
As Singapore grapples with this distressing case, the broader societal challenge lies in addressing the root causes of such predatory behaviour. While the judiciary has delivered a clear message of intolerance for crimes against minors, the repeated nature of the man’s offences suggests gaps in early intervention. Community awareness, coupled with institutional support, remains essential to prevent similar tragedies.
The sentencing of the 27-year-old serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of children and the importance of safeguarding them from those who exploit trust. For now, the victims and their families face the long road to recovery, while society reflects on how to better shield its youngest members from harm.
