Teen gets probation for sexual offences against 2 underaged girls
SINGAPORE — A teenager forcibly placed a 13-year-old girl’s hand on his genitals and later had sex with another girl of the same age after sending her obscene images of himself.
The 17-year-old was sentenced to 21 months’ probation on Thursday (2 January) after earlier pleading guilty to one count of procuring an indecent act from a child and one count of sexually penetrating a minor under the age of 14. Another three charges, which included sending obscene pictures to one of the victims, were taken into consideration for his sentencing.
In addition to his probation term, he will be placed under a curfew, perform 150 hours of community service and undergo psychological intervention to address sexual offending behaviours. His parents will also be required to placed a $5,000 bond to ensure his good behaviour.
The offender met one of the victims over the Instagram photo and video-sharing app. He cannot be named as he was from the same co-curricular activity group as the other victim, who is his junior in school.
Manipulated victims’ feelings
According to court documents, the offender exploited both girls’ feelings towards him in order to commit the offences.
He met the first victim through their shared secondary school CCA group. The girl harboured a crush on him and wanted to be close to him.
Sometime in March 2018, the pair were kissing at a multi-storey carpark in Woodlands when the girl told him that she wanted ice cream. The offender then replied, “Why buy ice cream when you can have my d*ck”. The girl was disgusted by the response and they argued before parting ways.
In June that year the pair returned to the same staircase to chat. As they were talking the offender pulled down his pants and underwear. He then took the girl’s hand and placed it on his bare penis.
When the victim did not act to his satisfaction, he became upset and told the girl that she had wasted his time. He then got dressed and left.
The girl later told a friend about the incident. The friend then confided in a teacher and a police report was lodged.
Second victim thought ‘nudes’ referred to make-up
In mid-January last year, the offender began chatting with another 13-year-old girl who had “followed” him on the Instagram app a few weeks earlier. Although her initial proposal for a date was rejected, he later agreed to meet her on 25 February.
Prior to meeting, the offender asked if the girl wanted his nudes, which the victim mistakenly believed was a reference to the makeup brand Nude. Thinking that was she was about to be sent a picture of his face, the girl said yes and was shocked when she received a picture of his penis instead.
The offender then asked the girl for a photo of herself and she sent him one of her chest with her clothes on. He then asked the girl for a more “open” photo and sent her another picture of his penis.
The girl then took a picture of her bare breasts but blurred it before sending it to the teen.
The teen asked for the girl to send him a photo, and the girl sent a picture of her chest with her clothes on. After the teen requested for a more “open” photo, he sent another picture of his penis. The girl then took a picture of her bare breasts but blurred it before sending it to the offender.
When the pair met at Kampung Admiralty, the offender led the girl to a staircase landing where they had protected sex. The girl followed him because she liked him and thought that he was bringing her to a staircase to hang out.
The girl cried in pain during the process but the offender told her to bear with it and continued with the act for about three to five minutes.
After the incident, the girl asked the offender over Instagram what would happen between them. He replied that he did not know and both began arguing.
The next day, the girl confided in a school senior who then reported the incident to a teacher. A police report was lodged on 1 March.
Offender asks for leniency
Noting the teen’s favourable probation suitability report, District Judge Seah Chi-Ling told the offender, “Just because consent is given, that doesn’t mean that sexual relations with a minor is not illegal.”
“I hope through this experience you have learned a lesson that you have to be more discerning in the way you manage yourself and I encourage you to really stay constructively engaged and to heed advice of your probation officer and to attend programs which will teach you how to curb your sexual urges and behaviour,” he said.
Asked if he had anything to say, the unrepresented offender said, “I hope you can give me leniency so that I can reform myself.”
For having sex with a minor under the age of 14, he could have been jailed up to 20 years, fined or caned. For procuring an indecent act from a child, he could have been jailed up to five years, fined up to $10,000 or both.
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