Man jailed 12 months for underage sex with minor

A man who had underage sex with a girl 17 years his junior was jailed for 12 months on Thursday. Lim Kuan Liang, 34, a property executive, pleaded guilty on Monday to two charges of sexual penetration of a minor at Hotel 81 (Opera) between Dec 31, 2010 and Jan 1, 2011, and at Hotel 81 (Classic) between Jan 29 and 30, 2011. Both hotels are on Joo Chiat Road.

He also admitted to dishonestly misappropriating a woman's cellphone he found in a cab and was fined $1,500. A district court heard that Lim became acquainted with the 13-year-old student when he accidentally sent her Christmas text message in December 2008. They introduced each other by exchanging text messages.

Subsequently, during their chats, he asked her if she had sex before and she said no. He then asked if she was willing to have sex with him, and she agreed. The court heard that he met her at Bedok MRT Station on Dec 31, 2010. They took a train to Paya Lebar MRT station.

They walked to Joo Chiat Road and he bought a packet of condoms and two cup noodles along the way. They checked into Hotel 81 (Opera) and had consensual sex. At their next meeting on Jan 29, 2011, he brought her to Hotel 81 (Classic) where she performed oral sex on him at his request.

At the time, he received several calls from his sister and the police. He denied that he was with minor, but agreed to go to Bedok Police Division the next day.

After checking out of the hotel the next morning, he gave $120 to the minor.

He could have been jailed for up to 10 years and/or fined on each charge of sexual penetration.

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