SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man, aged 31, was sentenced to 40 years in prison and 24 strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to seven charges, including rape and sexual assault.

This shocking case, which spanned eight years and involved the abuse of six boys, including his own cousins’ sons, came to an end when the perpetrator’s mother discovered him in a compromising position with one of the victims.

The court heard that the offender, whose identity remains protected due to gag orders, began preying on boys in his neighborhood in 2012, initially targeting those he met while playing football.

Over time, he shifted his attention to his underage relatives when invited to their homes.

Tragically, three of the victims were his cousins’ sons, aged between six and nine during the abuse.

In 2020, the offender’s cousin offered him a monthly job with a parcel delivery company, leading to an invitation to stay with the cousin’s family.

This proximity enabled the offender to prey on his cousin’s sons, particularly the six-year-old, whom he would distract with a phone before committing heinous acts, including rape.

The man would perform sex acts on the boy in front of his stepbrother and get the two boys to carry out sex acts on each other.

Caught red-handed by own mother

The crimes came to light in October 2020 when the offender’s mother stayed over at her cousin’s home.

The offender’s mother slept on a sofa in the living room, while the offender shared a mattress on the living room floor with his cousin’s sons.

The next morning, he found her son in a compromising position with one of the victims and immediately alerted the victims’ mother.

The victims’ mother talked to her sons, uncovering the truth.

Meanwhile, the offender was on his way to Jewel Changi Airport where the victims’ father later confronted him.

They then drove to another location to meet with the victims’ family, resulting in a heated confrontation.

A member of the public called the police who were informed about the sex offences.

Prosecution seeks lengthy sentence; defence requests leniency in trial

During the trial, the prosecution sought a jail term of 40 to 45 years along with 24 strokes of the cane, emphasizing the severity of the offences and the escalation in the number and severity of the perpetrator’s crimes.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Lee Zu Zhao said this case “ranks among the worst cases of paedophilic sexual abuse” to come before the courts.

He cited the Institute of Mental Health’s (IMH) assessment that the offender had a paedophilic disorder and posed “a clear danger to society.”

Mr. Lee emphasized that the man had undoubtedly exploited his position and violated the trust that had been placed in him, particularly concerning his two nephews.

Meanwhile, the defense, represented by lawyer Edmond Lim of Allen & Gledhill, who took on the case under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme, requested for a 33-year jail term instead, and 24 strokes of the cane.

He read out a letter authored by his client in mitigation.

The offender cited a troubled childhood and academic struggles in his plea for leniency, saying he failed his Primary School Leaving Examinations thrice and went to a special school where he claimed his seniors taught him the sex acts.

He also said his parents divorced when he was young and claimed that his stepfather sexually assaulted him when he was seven.

The perpetrator stated that all of his family members have severed connections with him, with the exception of his mother.

“This is a stigma I have to live with for the rest of my life,” he wrote, saying he had “great remorse” and that “if I could turn back time, I would do so.”

He expressed a desire to offer apologies to the victims but acknowledged that he believed it would not have any positive impact.

“I have earned my sin, and I earned it against my own soul,” he said. “I will bring all my sin until my last breath.”

He further stated that an excessively severe sentence would crush his chances of rehabilitation and pleaded for leniency from the court.

However, the prosecution argued that based on his IMH report, he had no intellectual disability and was fully aware of his actions.

Notably, the offender also did not disclose the alleged sexual assault by his stepfather when questioned about his background by the psychiatrist.

“He was fully aware of what he was doing, he had full choice,” said Mr Lee.

Judge dismisses offender’s claims of past abuse

In sentencing, Justice Mavis Chionh dismissed the offender’s allegations of past sexual assault, emphasizing his adult status at the time of the crimes and the lack of choice for his child victims.

“By the time the accused committed the offences in question, he was already an adult and fully capable of making his own choices and taking responsibility for his choices,” said the judge.

“His child victims, on the other hand, unfortunately – indeed tragically – did not have any such choice.”