SINGAPORE - A man was jailed for 12 months on Monday (July 18) for having sex with a 15-year-old girl on three occasions.

Muhammad Riduwan Musa, 27, admitted to two of four charges of sexual penetration of a minor at his home in Champions Way, Woodlands, between April 2 and 5 last year (2015).

A district court heard that some time in February last year, he came to know the girl through mutual friends. He knew she was under 16 years of age as she had told him her date of birth and shown him her identity card. They entered into a relationship.

The following month, she ran away from home and went to stay with Riduwan.

He had sex with her in the living room under a blanket between April 2 and 5 on three occasions.

Riduwan, a former cleaner, successfully applied to defer his sentence until Monday (July 25) to make arrangements for his wife. He also told the court that he would be getting his pay this weekend.

District Judge Kessler Soh said he hoped Riduwan realised it was a very serious offence for him to have sexual intercourse with someone below 16 years old.

He told him the law takes a very stern view of this because of the need to protect those who are young and vulnerable.

Riduwan could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined for each charge of sexual penetration of a person below 16 years of age.