Man, 48, raped & impregnated intellectually disabled stepdaughter, then 14, gets 19 years 4 months' jail & 16 cane strokes

A man in Singapore raped and impregnated his intellectually disabled stepdaughter, who was only 14 years old then.

The man, who is stateless, was sentenced to 19 years and four months’ jail and 16 strokes of the cane on Feb. 23.

The 48-year-old man cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim.

Came home drunk and raped stepdaughter

The victim, now 15, is his wife’s daughter.

The man was the sole breadwinner, working as a bouncer at a club.

Court documents seen by Mothership stated that he knew the victim was "heavily reliant" on him and her mother, 34, to fulfil simple, daily tasks.

The three lived together in a one-room flat with two other children the couple shared, and the three children slept together in the living room.

In May or June 2024, the man returned home drunk at about 7am after completing a shift.

He saw the victim sleeping in front of the main door with her half-siblings nearby.

He then started touching her and eventually raped her.

At one point, the victim woke up, but she did not comprehend what her stepfather was doing to her or know how to put a stop to his acts.

Victim became pregnant

Later in September, the victim complained of abdominal pains and was brought to the hospital, where her pregnancy was discovered.

The hospital made a police report as she was a minor.

After learning of the pregnancy, the victim's mother confronted the man, but he denied having done anything.

The court heard that the couple’s other daughter had told the mother about witnessing him performing sexual acts.

However, as she did not witness these acts herself, she trusted that he would not harm her daughter.

Further investigations revealed that the man had indeed impregnated the victim, with paternity tests later confirming this.

The victim gave birth to the baby, and the child is currently with a foster family.

Stepdaughter had intellectual disability

The prosecution sought 19 to 22 years' jail and 18 strokes of the cane for the man, noting her young age, intellectual disability, and her pregnancy as aggravating factors, CNA reported.

Doctors at the Institute of Mental Health assessed the victim to have an IQ of 42, which indicates a moderate level of intellectual disability.

The prosecutor said that while the girl was 14 years old, her rapist observed that she "behaved like a child who was about eight years old".

“He counted on his victim’s silence, her confusion and her complete dependence on him,” the prosecution said, highlighting that the man was "acutely aware" of the victim's inability to understand what happened.

The victim was unable to understand sexual relations or explain how babies are conceived.

Court documents stated that the victim's mother also suffers from mild intellectual disability.

Remorseful and ashamed: Defence

The man’s lawyer said he is "truly remorseful" for his actions and ashamed of what he has done, CNA reported.

“Words cannot undo the past or return the victim her happier days,” she said.

“He sincerely apologises to the victim for the irreversible harm she has suffered.”

The lawyer said the man hoped for a sentence that is "not too crushing", as he still wants to leave prison a reformed person.

She added that he hopes to rebuild his family and fix their relationship.

Neither the man nor his wife has filed for divorce.

19 years and four months’ jail

The judge sentenced the man to 19 years and four months’ jail and 16 strokes of the cane.

Every act of rape inflicts immeasurable harm on a victim, and the man’s actions "violated the dignity of her right to sexual autonomy", and "left irretrievable physical, emotional and psychological scars", the judge said.

The judge noted the need for a heavier sentence to deter would-be offenders.

“When the accused began to touch the victim, she did not know what he was doing or how to put a stop to his acts,” she said.

While the case was "undoubtedly serious", it does not fall within the most serious instances of the offence, the judge said, though she stressed that this in no way diminishes the gravity of the crime.

Top photos from Canva