20 years' jail, caning for father who raped 11-year-old daughter

For more than a year, a technician sexually abused and raped his daughter, who was between 10 and 11, in her bedroom until he was caught red-handed by his wife.

It took another four months before a police report was made by the victim with the help of an uncle who learnt of her ordeal.

On Monday, her 40-year-old father was sentenced to 20 years’ jail and ordered to be given 12 strokes of the cane by the High Court after he pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated statutory rape and three charges of sexual exploitation of a child.

Another six charges of sexual exploitation were taken into consideration during sentencing.

He cannot be named owing to a gag order to protect the victim’s identity.

The court heard that the man performed sexual acts on the victim between August and September 2019, touching her twice a month, when she was 10.

After realising he could get away with it, he became emboldened and increased the frequency and severity of his acts.

Around this time, the family, comprising the victim and her younger brother, their parents, maternal grandparents and a maternal uncle, moved to a new flat. The victim shared a room with her younger brother. 

Sometimes the children would sleep in their parents’ room, with the victim sharing a king-sized bed with her father, while her mother and younger brother slept on a mattress on the floor.

After September 2019, he sexually abused his daughter about once a week.

When the victim turned 11, his acts escalated.

On one occasion, between March 11, 2020 and Oct 5, 2020, he forced her to perform oral sex on him.

The acts took place when they were alone at home or when the other family members were asleep.

On the night of Oct 5, 2020, in the midst of a sex act, he quickly returned to his bedroom to check that his wife was still sleeping.

When he was satisfied that she was, he returned to the victim’s bedroom, and continued assaulting her.

He stopped only when his wife woke up, went to their daughter’s bedroom and saw him on top of her.

Shocked, the man quickly left the girl’s room.

When his wife asked him what he was doing, he lied that the victim had a nightmare, and he was covering her with a blanket.

His wife did not believe him and asked the girl what the man had done.

The girl at first told her mother that he had “disturbed” her, and on further questioning told her mother that her father had touched her inappropriately many times.

On Feb 14, 2021, one of the victim’s uncles, who lived separately from the family, took her to lodge a police report after he learnt of the incident.

It was not stated how this uncle came to know of the abuse.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Andre Chong sought 18 to 20 years’ jail and 12 strokes of the cane, asking for a strong deterrent message that society will not tolerate the n abuse of a child. 

In sentencing, Justice Mavis Chionh noted the premeditation shown by the man and his brazenness in abusing the victim repeatedly even when her mother and brother were at home.

The man’s wife, who was in court, sobbed and kissed his hands through a gap in the glass panel of the dock as she talked to him after he was sentenced. 

The woman asked a guard if she could hug the accused, but the request was denied.