A 16-year-old boy who raped a 14-year-old girl has been sentenced to eight years’ jail and three strokes of the cane after the prosecution successfully appealed on 6 September, CNA reported. The offender, now 20, was initially given reformative training with a minimum detention period of 12 months after pleading guilty to one count of rape. The judge presiding over the case at that time had told the youth that “this is your last chance”.
## Background
The latest Court of Appeal comprised Justices Tay Yong Kwang, Steven Chong, and Debbie Ong. Justice Tay remarked that the accused was “no ordinary 16-year-old”, highlighting his history of theft offences from the age of 13, including stealing bicycles, electric scooters, and batteries. While out on bail for these theft charges, he reoffended by committing further thefts. On 27 June 2020, while out on a higher bail amount, he committed the rape. The offence only came to light in February 2021, by which time the youth had already been sentenced to his first stint of reformative training for his theft offences in October 2020.
## Judge slammed offender
Justice Tay Yong Kwang criticised the offender’s repeated criminal behaviour, noting that his actions were not typical of a 16-year-old. The young man had a history of theft offences starting at age 13, including stealing bicycles, electric scooters, and batteries. Despite being out on bail for these charges, he continued to reoffend. On 27 June 2020, while out on a higher bail amount, he committed the rape and two additional thefts. The rape offence was only discovered in February 2021, after the youth had already been sentenced to reformative training for his theft offences in October 2020.
## What happened
The victim’s then-boyfriend, who is seven years her senior, was drinking alcohol with her at Admiralty Park on the night of the incident. The offender saw the drinking session in a livestream the victim posted on social media and asked to join, claiming he had just argued with her best friend and was feeling stressed. The couple agreed, and he went to the park. All parties cannot be named to protect the victim’s identity.
The victim threw up, and her then-boyfriend asked her to wash up at a public toilet. While the girl was in the toilet, her boyfriend and the offender went to look for her. The offender suddenly threw her jacket over her face and held it there before raping her, while her then-boyfriend held her down. The court heard that the boyfriend had been egging the offender on to commit the sexual assault. He later blamed the girl for having sex with the offender, leading to their breakup. Her mother later lodged a police report, and her then-boyfriend was charged with abetting rape.
## Additional developments
The case has drawn significant attention due to the severity of the crime and the offender’s criminal history. The successful appeal by the prosecution underscores the judicial system’s commitment to addressing serious offences with appropriate severity. The offender’s initial sentence of reformative training was deemed insufficient given his repeated criminal behaviour and the gravity of the rape offence. The case also highlights the importance of protecting vulnerable individuals and ensuring that justice is served in cases of sexual assault. Future implications may include stricter measures for young offenders with a history of criminal behaviour to prevent further offences.
