Convicted rapist guilty of sexually assaulting stepdaughter
Convicted rapist began molesting 12-year-old soon after his release from prison, also molested her friend
Soon after he was released from prison, a convicted rapist married a divorced woman who knew of his crimes but believed he had changed.
She allowed him to be alone with her daughter from her previous marriage.
But the sexual predator was undeterred despite having previously been sentenced to 24 years' jail and 24 strokes of the cane in 2001 for raping his niece.
He began molesting his 12-year-old stepdaughter.
Over almost a year, the sexual abuse escalated to more intrusive acts. He even molested the girl's friend on two occasions.
Yesterday, the 58-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated sexual assault by penetration and two counts of outraging the modesty of a minor. Another 12 similar charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.
Prosecutors sought the maximum term of 20 years' preventive detention - a regime for recalcitrant offenders that does not offer the usual one-third remission for good behaviour - to protect the public.
"It is imperative that the accused be removed from society for a substantial period of time," said Deputy Public Prosecutor Goh Yi Ling.
"His recalcitrance, high risk of re-offending, and sheer inability to control his sexual urges underscore the immediate need to take him out of circulation completely."
The man cannot be caned due to his age.
Justice Aedit Abdullah asked for a report to determine the man's suitability for preventive detention and adjourned the case to a later date.
The court heard that the first victim's mother had married the man in January 2017, after he was released from prison in 2016.
MOVED IN
The first victim was initially living with her biological father but moved in with her mother and stepfather in 2017.
In February 2018, the man started touching the girl inappropriately, with the acts becoming more aggravated over time.
He usually seized the opportunity when the girl's mother was not looking or was occupied with something else.
In March 2018, while they were on a sofa watching TV, he placed his hand around the girl's shoulders and squeezed her breast.
In December that year, she was sleeping when he slipped his hand under her underwear and sexually violated her.
In early 2018, when his stepdaughter's best friend came to visit, the man molested her after taking her out on his e-scooter.
In January last year, the first victim's mother believed that the girl was dating someone and told her she would take her to the hospital to check her virginity.
The girl then told their neighbour how her stepfather had touched her. The neighbour spoke to the girl's mother, who confronted the man.
An Institute of Mental Health report said that the man had a high risk of re-offending and that he had not benefited from the experience of his first incarceration.
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