Singapore – A man was sentenced to 10 years in jail and 24 strokes of the cane for sexually assaulting his cousin weekly, starting when she was six years old and he was 10.
Details of the Case
The perpetrator, now 22 years old, was found guilty on Jan. 15 of one count of rape and one count of sexual assault by penetration following a trial that began in May 2025. The offenses took place at the aunt’s house where the victim was left while her parents were at work.
Although the victim testified the abuse began in 2013, he was charged with offenses occurring between 2016 and 2018, when he was between 12 and 14 years old and she was between eight and 10 years old.
Sentencing Considerations
High Court Judge Valerie Thean stated that deterrence was the primary focus in sentencing, considering aggravating factors such as the victim’s age and the harm caused. A reduction in the sentence was granted due to the perpetrator’s youth at the time of the offenses.
Victim’s Testimony and Family Dynamics
Deputy Public Prosecutor Benedict Chan highlighted writings from the victim’s therapy sessions. The victim stated she initially believed the acts were normal, as her parents dismissed her initial complaint, accepting her cousin’s explanation that the contact was accidental. She wrote that she became accustomed to being ignored.
The perpetrator is the son of the victim’s aunt, and was adopted at a young age, meaning he is not biologically related to the victim. The girl, her two younger brothers, and their domestic worker were left at her aunt’s house during the day, with their parents returning after dinner.
The Abuse
The incidents occurred in the master bedroom on the third floor of the four-story house. The victim testified that the assaults happened weekly, with her cousin entering the room while she did homework, locking the door, drawing the curtains, and carrying out the acts under a blanket.
He allegedly told her the acts were “good for her” and instructed her not to tell anyone. A monitor in the room displayed a CCTV feed of the staircase, allowing them to see if anyone was approaching.
Discovery and Reporting
Between 2016 and 2017, the victim told a domestic worker about the unwanted touching, prompting a request to tell her aunt. A family meeting was held, during which the aunt claimed the CCTV footage was not functional. Following the meeting, the girl was told to avoid the third floor, but later returned due to mosquito bites on the first floor.
A second family meeting occurred after she confided in a new domestic worker. During this meeting, the perpetrator’s parents accused her of lying, while her father confronted the boy. It was then agreed that she and her siblings would go home after school instead of going to her aunt’s house.
On her 12th birthday in October 2019, the perpetrator’s family was invited over without her knowledge, causing her distress. She realized the acts were wrong between the last year of primary school and her first year in secondary school after reading a news article about a rape case and researching the topic online.
Her mother discovered her online search history and confirmed the experiences with her cousin. In September 2020, she detailed the assaults to her mother, who then informed her father. The victim’s parents testified this was the first time they understood the full extent of the abuse.
Initially reluctant to file a police report due to concerns about family relationships, she did so on Jan. 3, 2021, after her father encouraged her to prioritize her well-being over familial ties.
Defense lawyer Wendell Wong noted that both the victim and perpetrator were “kids” at the time of the offenses.
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