Singapore canes, jails ‘sick and depraved’ man for sexually abusing girl he wanted to adopt
- The man, 39, was sentenced to 10 years’ jail and nine strokes of the cane for engaging in a sexually exploitative relationship with someone aged 16-18
- The victim had also suffered sexual abuse from her biological father before she entered the shelter where she met the man
The 39-year-old man was assessed to be a suitable carer for the 16-year-old girl by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), and had first met the girl while she stayed at a treatment centre, which was designed to help teenage girls who had suffered abuse and trauma.
However, the man, whom prosecutors called a “sick and depraved predator”, had sought to exploit her trust in him as her guardian and de facto father despite knowing her past background, a court heard on Tuesday .
He was sentenced to 10 years’ jail and nine strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to four charges of engaging in a sexually exploitative relationship with someone between the ages of 16 and 18.
Nine other similar charges were taken into consideration for sentencing. The man and the teenage victim cannot be identified due to a court order to protect her identity.
This was the first prosecution for an offence under a clause in the Penal Code that criminalises the exploitative sexual penetration of a minor between 16 and 18 years old.
Victim from ‘vulnerable background’
The court heard that the victim was placed in the shelter by MSF in September 2018, after she was diagnosed by a psychiatrist as suffering from an adjustment disorder, depressed mood and post-traumatic stress disorder.