SINGAPORE - A sex predator randomly sent messages to girls on Instagram, offering them cash or jobs to lure them to his home so that he could sexually violate them.

Davis Khor Khai Gin, 47, enticed at least four girls, aged between 13 and 17 years old at the time, to his flat between August 2020 and February 2021.

He performed sexual acts on three of these girls, but the fourth managed to escape his clutches.

On Friday, Khor, a senior aircraft engineer, was sentenced to 12½ years’ jail and 13 strokes of the cane by the High Court.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to four charges: one for attempted statutory rape of a 13-year-old identified as V1, one for sexual penetration of the same girl, one for sexual penetration of a 15-year-old identified as V2, and one for sexual grooming of a 14-year-old identified as V3.

Another six similar charges were taken into consideration during of sentencing.

On Aug 20, 2020, Khor messaged V1 on Instagram, introducing himself as William, and asked her whether she needed cash.

Khor offered her $200 to let him touch her body, and V1, who had just run away from a welfare home, agreed.

The next morning, Khor booked a Grab ride to pick her up. When she entered his home, she saw an iPad and four $50 notes on a table.

As the iPad recorded them, he took off her clothes and violated her with a sex aid. He also tried to have sex with her but gave up after a while.

Khor later passed the money to her, told her not to tell anyone about their encounter, and asked her to delete their Instagram chat. He then booked a Grab ride to send her home.

He continued to message V1 on Instagram with offers of cash to visit his place again.

On Feb 23, 2021, V1 found herself in need of money and agreed to meet him. Again, he violated her with a sex aid while recording the acts. He tried to have sex with her, but failed again.

He then gave her $200 and warned her not to tell anyone about the incident. 

Khor used the same method to ensnare V2, who was then 15, in August 2020.

He told V2 that he could pay her $200 for a job that included cuddling and being his companion for two hours.

She initially did not respond, but he kept messaging her, and she relented the following month.

At his home, he told her to undress and violated her with a sex aid while the acts were being recorded. He then tried to have sex with her but she told him to stop.

Khor then gave her $100 instead of $200, saying that the session was not complete. She took the money and left in a Grab car that he had booked.

As for V3, Khor persistently messaged her from Dec 20, 2020 onwards, asking if she was interested in a part-time job.

He offered her several options, including waitressing and working as a kitchen helper, and told her that the highest-paying job was an “indecent one” involving him touching her body for $200. 

V3 told him that she was only 14 years old and she was only interested in the waitressing job. But Khor kept persuading her to meet him.

She relented on Jan 5, 2021, and agreed to meet him.

When she arrived at his flat, Khor told her that if she stayed for two hours, the $230 cash he had placed on a table would be hers.

After he put his arm on her waist, she insisted that she wanted to leave. Khor let her leave after handing her $30.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Edwin Soh had sought 13 to 16 years’ jail and 13 strokes of the cane, while defence counsel Favian Kang asked for not more than 13¼ years’ jail.

In mitigation, Mr Kang submitted a letter from Khor’s former wife, pleading for leniency.

Correction note: An earlier version of this article said Davis Khor Khai Gin persistently messaged V3 from Dec 20, 2002 onwards. This has been corrected to Dec 20, 2020. We are sorry for the error.