Man jailed 10 years, gets 6 strokes for raping 12-year-old girl
He was entrusted with the safety of the 12-year-old daughter of his brother's girlfriend, but instead sneaked away with the girl, plied her with alcohol and sexually exploited her.
Yesterday, the 39-year-old part-time musician was sentenced to 10 years' jail and six strokes of the cane after he pleaded guilty to a charge of statutory rape. Two other charges, one each of statutory rape and sexual penetration of a minor, were taken into consideration.
The offences took place between the night of Sept 22 and the morning of Sept 23 in 2015. The father of three cannot be named because of a gag order to protect the victim's identity.
A repeat drug abuser, he is currently serving a 71/2-year term for drug consumption. His jail term for the sexual offences will start in December 2020, after he completes his current sentence.
The High Court heard that the man has known the victim since she was seven.
Her mother had been in a long-term relationship with his elder brother.
The two became closer in mid-2015 and would often chat over the phone. On Sept 21, 2015, the girl ran away from home and a missing persons report was lodged.
The girl's mother, the accused and the accused's brother eventually found her and told the police. The girl did not want to go home with her mother and instead accompanied the accused, who had said he was going for supper. However, the accused and the girl went off somewhere else and became uncontactable.
On the afternoon of Sept 22, police officers found the pair near Bukit Gombak and called the victim's mother. The accused assured her over the phone that the girl was safe with him and he would take her home. The woman then told the officers to let the pair go.
That night, the accused, then 35, took the girl to his office and had some beers with her before they engaged in sexual acts. The next morning, he had sex with the girl again at the office.
The sexual acts came to light after the girl was taken to a police station for an interview.
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