In late 2017, a 49-year-old man lured two 14-year-old girls to his Jurong West flat on separate occasions and assaulted them sexually.
On Feb. 5, 2020, Isham Bin Kayubi was found guilty of four counts of rape and two counts of sexual assault by penetration, The Straits Times reported.
The part-time food deliveryman was sentenced to 32 years' jail and 24 strokes of the cane for his crimes.
Isham's victims, who are both 16 years old now, cannot be named as there is a gag order to protect their identities.
Jailed for sexual offences in 2008
Since 1995, Isham had been to prison several times for crimes involving theft and drugs, CNA reported.
He had also committed sexual offences against four teenage girls and was jailed in 2008 for four and a half years.
A short while after being released from jail in 2011, Isham was once again jailed for consumption of drugs and released near the end of 2015.
The prosecution brought up Isham's past offences that were similar with his current offences.
After taking into consideration that Isham was a repeat offender who targeted the young and vulnerable, High Court judge See Kee Oon agreed with the prosecution that he needed to be given a deterrent sentence.
Isham maintains innocence
On Jan. 14, Isham said nothing when a court interpreter asked him if he pleaded guilty or claimed trial.
The judge then decided to proceed on the basis that Isham is claiming trial.
This means that witnesses and victims will need to testify against him in court.
On Feb. 5, Isham was unrepresented in court after previous lawyers who had been assigned to him under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme discharged themselves with his consent.
Deputy Public Prosecutor James Chew had cited DNA evidence of Isham's semen on vaginal swabs from one of the victims to prove him guilty.
However, Isham claimed that "there was another DNA profile found on the victim" and asked via a Malay interpreter who the unknown male was, The Straits Times reported.
Isham maintained his innocence and said that the two teenage girls had falsified evidence to incriminate him.
Judge rejects Isham's claims
However, the judge pointed out that the prosecution had "proved its case beyond reasonable doubt" and stated that the victims were credible witnesses who were "candid and straightforward" in their testimony.
The judge also noted that messages and video evidence retrieved from Isham's mobile phone, as well as footage from CCTV cameras at Isham's block were sufficient to prove him guilty.
In addition, Isham had offered no other evidence or witnesses to support his defence.
During sentencing, Isham pleaded for leniency, citing the separation from his elderly father since his arrest, CNA reported.
However, the judge insisted that "there are clearly aggravating factors that are present in this case" and that he "did not see any relevant mitigating factors."
Flashed, urinated and soiled himself in court previously
According to DPP Chew, there is a "high likelihood" that separate action will be taken against Isham for his misconduct in previous court hearings.
CNA reported that Isham had flashed himself and urinated in court in August 2019, during which the judge adjourned the hearing.
Isham was taken for psychiatric assessment, which found him to be mentally sound.
On Jan. 14, 2020, Isham also soiled himself in a court room at the Supreme Court and proceeded to smear his faeces on his white shirt and in the docks.
For each charge of rape, Isham could have been jailed for up to 20 years and fined or caned.
A male offender above the age of 50 cannot receive caning as a punishment.
Top image via Matthias Ang