Man, 69, jailed nine months for molesting 15-year-old stepdaughter

The man was jailed for nine months for outraging the modesty of his stepdaughter in January this year. PHOTO: ST GRAPHICS

SINGAPORE - An American national, who molested his 15-year-old stepdaughter while he was here on a dependant's pass, was jailed for nine months on Wednesday (May 25).

The 69-year-old, who married the girl's mother last July, committed two counts of outraging the modesty of his stepdaughter on Jan 22 this year.

He admitted to tapping the girl's breast, cupping and squeezing her breast, and slipping his hands into her tights and touching her left buttock at a flat in the north-west of Singapore. The other charge was considered in sentencing.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Amanda Chong Wei-Zhen told the court that the Secondary 2 student was on the living room sofa using her tablet device when her stepfather approached her and tapped her once near her left rib cage to ask her to go for lunch in the kitchen.

He walked off. About a minute later, he repeated the act a few times. She acknowledged him and waved her hand to signal "okay'' to him but he continued to tap her.

He then moved his hand towards the side of her left breast. He tapped her breast, and then slowly lifted up the side of her shirt, exposing her sports bra. He molested her for about five seconds.

DPP Chong said the accused then moved his hand and slipped it under her yoga tights and panties, squeezing her buttock for about seven seconds. He kissed the side of her body and neck area.

He then tried to pull down her tights. She became so scared that she could not move during the incident, said the DPP.

At this juncture, her brother returned home and he stopped molesting the girl.

The girl told the school librarian about the molestation on Feb 2. The school notified the Ministry of Social and Family Development. A police report was made the next day.

The man told police that he molested the girl because he had a strong urge and could not control himself.

Citing aggravating factors, DPP Chong said the girl was young and the accused abused his position of trust and authority placed on him .

Pleading for leniency, the accused said he was remorseful, knew that what he did was "extremely wrong'', and seeks forgiveness from the courts and the victim.

He could have been jailed for up to two years and for using criminal force to outrage the modesty of the victim.

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