A middle-aged man was sentenced to 15 years in jail on Wednesday (Feb 11) by the High Court for repeatedly raping his then-girlfriend’s daughter, who was 12 years old at the time.
The Singaporean man, now 50, was charged with Aggravated Statutory Rape on April 1 last year. Throughout the course of the trial, the court heard that the offences had caused the victim, now 18 years old, to suffer from nightmares and trust issues. TODAY did not name the parties involved so as to protect the victim’s identity.
The victim first met the man when she was a toddler in 2000. She and her mother had moved to Singapore after her mother gained employment here. The culprit was at the time married to another woman, who had helped the victim’s mother find a flat to rent in Circuit Road.
Not long after, the culprit began an affair with the victim’s mother and moved in with them. The court heard that all three would sleep on the same bed.
During the day, the man would look after the victim while her mother was at work. The victim, who called the man “daddy”, said she was afraid of him due to his bad temper.
One afternoon, sometime between March and June 2009, the victim – then in Primary School – was alone in the flat with the culprit. The court heard that he approached the victim while she was resting on the bed and began touching her intimately despite her protests.
He then proceeded to rape her. When she complained of pain, he told her that it was normal for girls to feel pain the first time they have sexual intercourse.
He raped her again sometime between June and October 2009.
Two years later, the victim was brought to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital after experiencing recurring rashes and growths at her private part area. Further investigations by social workers brought the rape incidents to light. The victim then lodged a police report against the man, who at the time of his arrest was working as an industrial technician. The victim said she did not lodge a police report earlier out of fear of being beaten.
A psychiatric assessment by Dr Bernadine Woo of the Child Guidance Clinic revealed that the victim has been feeling sad, irritable and angry since the rape incidents.
Source: www.channelnewsasia.com
