Real estate agent jailed 32 years for rape and sexual abuse of stepdaughter

A real estate agent who began sexually exploiting his step-daughter when she was 11 years old and raped her when she was 14, was on Thursday jailed for 32 years.

The 37-year-old was also ordered to be caned 24 strokes, the maximum allowed under the law.

In sentencing the man, Judicial Commissioner Tan Siong Thye said 32 years was an appropriate deterrent punishment but not a crushing sentence in context of his "despicable and callous crimes".

The man began groping the girl at night about six months after he married her mother in early 2008. Over the next three years, he progressed to other forms of sexual abuse and dictated sleeping arrangements to keep her close.

In 2011, he barged into the toilet while she was bathing, pulled her out and raped her.

Last month, the man pleaded guilty in the High Court to seven charges - one for sexual assault of a minor and two each for rape, outrage of modesty and causing hurt. Another 11 charges were taken into consideration.

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