Male hair salon worker, 25, befriends female customer, 15, has sex with her at Havelock hotel, gets 16 months' jail

A 26-year-old Chinese national was sentenced to 16 months' jail for sexually assaulting a then-15-year-old girl at a hotel in Havelock.

The accused, Ruan Shuai, had sex with the girl after she agreed to date him.

Ruan worked at a hair salon and the victim was one of his customers.

Ruan was 25 years old at the time of the incident.

Court documents revealed that Ruan faced three sexual assault charges and pleaded guilty to one charge in court.

Due to a gag order, no information regarding the identity of the victim can be revealed.

Saw advertisement for hair extensions

According to court documents, sometime in January 2024, the victim came across an advertisement for hair extension services online.

She contacted the number listed on the advertisement, which was Ruan's handphone number.

She did not go down to the salon immediately but saved the number on her phone.

Five months later, on May 29, 2024, she went down to the hair salon to obtain hair extension services.

She was attended to by Ruan.

After the victim left the salon, she received text messages from Ruan, asking her to join him and his friends to play pool.

The victim agreed and met up with Ruan a few days later.

Following their meet-up, Ruan proceeded to contact the victim every day.

Started dating

The victim and Ruan starting dating on Jun. 15, 2024.

However, she made it clear to Ruan that she was only 15 years old and told him that she did not want to be touched inappropriately.

In response, Ruan agreed and said he would respect her boundaries.

The following day, the two met up to play pool till around midnight.

Ruan told the victim that he had booked a hotel room and invited her to accompany him there to watch a football match together.

The victim agreed and Ruan proceeded to a five-star hotel in the Havelock area alone to check in first.

The victim met Ruan at the hotel lobby sometime after midnight and followed him to the room.

Sexually assaulted the victim in the hotel room

Court documents revealed that at around 3am, Ruan started to kiss the victim intimately and asked if she wanted to have sex with him.

Without receiving any response from the victim, he proceeded to sexually assault her.

Ruan did not wear a condom.

Asked the victim to perform oral sex on him

On Jun. 29, 2024, Ruan arranged to meet the victim for dinner.

During the dinner, Ruan informed the victim that he had booked a hotel room at another five-star hotel in the Robertson Quay area.

However, the victim told Ruan that she was on her period and could not have sex.

He agreed and the two proceeded to the hotel room.

Sometime after midnight on Jun. 30, 2024, Ruan made the victim perform oral sex on him and he digitally penetrated her.

Broke up and the victim reported him to the police

Following that night, Ruan asked the victim to have sex with him several times, but was rejected.

Ruan eventually began to ignore the victim's messages and the two broke up on Jul. 22, 2024.

Two days after the break-up, the victim filed a police report against Ruan.

Ruan was arrested on Jul. 25, 2024.

Sentenced to 16 months' jail

The prosecution pointed out that Ruan took the victim to the hotel and sexually assaulted her after asking her to date him, and then proceeded to break up with her after she refused to have sex with him.

The prosecution added that it was obvious that Ruan was merely using the victim for his own sexual gratification and had no intention of pursuing a genuine relationship with her.

The prosecution sought a jail sentence of 16 to 18 months.

After considering Ruan's charges, the judge sentenced him to 16 months in prison, Lianhe Zaobao reported.

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