Recalcitrant sex offender gets maximum 20-year detention for sexually abusing stepdaughter

SINGAPORE - A 59-year-old man who sexually assaulted his 12-year-old stepdaughter less than two years after he was released from prison for rape was on Friday (June 12) given the maximum 20 years' preventive detention.

High Court judge Aedit Abdullah agreed with prosecutors that the longest imprisonment term possible was warranted to protect the public, especially young girls, from the man's sexual proclivities.

The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victims, was sentenced to 24 years' jail and 24 strokes of the cane in 2001 for raping his 11-year-old niece.

After he was released from prison in 2016, he married a divorced woman in January 2017.

The woman knew of his crimes but believed that he had changed for the better and trusted him enough to leave him alone with her daughter from her previous marriage.

However, the man began touching his 12-year-old stepdaughter inappropriately in February 2018.

Over almost a year the sexual abuse escalated to more intrusive acts. He even molested the girl's best friend on two occasions.

In March, the man pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated sexual assault by penetration and two counts of outraging the modesty of a minor.

Another 12 similar charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

Prosecutors sought the maximum term of 20 years' preventive detention, a regime for recalcitrant offenders that does not automatically offer the usual one-third remission.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Goh Yi Ling said the man's high risk of re-offending and factors such as his "clear pattern of sexual deviation" underscore the need to impose the lengthiest jail term possible.