S’pore man, 19, who sexually assaulted sister when he was 13, molests her again, given 12 months' jail & caning

A 19-year-old man sexually assaulted his sister, who is more than one year older than him, on multiple occasions.

He was sentenced to 12 months’ jail and one stroke of the cane.

The man pleaded guilty to two charges, CNA reported.

Three other charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

The man’s identity cannot be disclosed as a gag order was imposed to protect the victim.

He is also appealing against his sentence and is currently out on bail.

Conditional warning

According to the judgement made available on Sep. 10, the man first sexually penetrated and molested his sister without her consent when he was 13.

He was given a 12-month conditional warning and was sent to a welfare home for about three years for protective reasons.

The man was also referred to the Positive Adolescent Sexuality Treatment Programme.

Returned to family

In 2023, he returned to live with his sister and his family.

He shared a bedroom with his sister and younger brother.

The three of them shared two mattresses.

Molested sister again

In February 2025, the man molested his sister while she was asleep at night.

He was at least 17 at the time of the offences.

The assaults would happen at least twice a week.

On some occasions, she would wake up, turn away from the accused, or become angry.

In mid-February 2025, his family bought a bunk bed and placed it in the bedroom.

His sister slept on top while the man and his brother slept on the bottom.

Later that month, the man woke up and molested his sister while she was asleep.

His brother was not present in the room at the time of the offences.

His sister subsequently lodged a police report on Mar. 4, 2025.

Recalcitrance

The prosecution sought jail and caning for the man.

Although he was found suitable for reformative training, the prosecution objected, arguing that it was inappropriate because the man was recalcitrant.

The prosecution said the man had a pattern of reoffending and lacked remorse, which included him expressing hatred towards his sister.

They also argued that the man sought to justify his actions and claimed his sister “pretend to allow” the molestation.

The prosecution noted that the man had a girlfriend with whom he had refrained from sexual relations out of "religious conviction".

However, he did not exercise that restraint with his sister.

Deterrence needed

The man’s lawyers called for probation and reformative training suitability reports, and later sought reformative training for him when he was found suitable.

They argued that he was a young offender who was not hardened or recalcitrant.

His lawyers said his earlier offending also resulted in a conditional warning and he was not convicted.

They also argued that reformative training would provide longer, more structured intervention than imprisonment.

The judge said deterrence was needed in his case.

While there was “only one incident” before the reoffending, a prior sexual offence against his own sister was "one incident too many".

"The fact that the accused's sexual offending was met with a conditional warning instead of court prosecution was an act of leniency extended to him by the authorities,” she said.

“One which he plainly took for granted, as his subsequent conduct showed," she added.

"Since deterrence had displaced rehabilitation as the dominant sentencing consideration, a term of imprisonment was the appropriate sentence and sent the right signal to the accused and to like-minded offenders. The nature of the sentence, and what it communicates, is more needful than the length of incarceration alone," she concluded.

The appeal was adjourned to a later date.