23-year-old found guilty of sexually violating underage girl who wanted to buy hamsters from him

• Lim Wei Yi was 21 when he lured a 14-year-old girl into his bedroom and violated her 
• She had met him to buy hamsters 
• During the trial, he claimed he was depressed and needed a hug
• The judge found his claims unbelievable while finding the victim “unusually convincing”

SINGAPORE — The first time a 14-year-old girl in search of pet hamsters responded to Lim Wei Yi’s online advertisement, their transaction was completed without a hitch.

But when she met him again two months later to buy more hamsters, he sexually violated her.

Lim, now 23, was hauled to court and contested one charge of committing an indecent act with a young person. 

He alleged during the trial that he had merely hugged her as he was depressed and having a bad day. He also argued that she had consented to the hugs. 

On Friday (July 30), Principal District Judge Victor Yeo rubbished Lim’s claims and convicted him of violating the victim by touching her breasts while hugging her and rubbing his groin against hers while lying on top of her in his bed.

The incident took place on the afternoon of July 26, 2019 at Lim’s Jurong West flat, where he was living with his girlfriend at the time. He was 21 years old then.

HOW INCIDENT UNFOLDED

The first time that the victim had purchased hamsters from Lim for S$10, they completed the transaction at the lift lobby of her flat. 

This second time, however, he asked her to come to his house and into his bedroom. He closed the door behind them and passed her four hamsters in a box.

After she paid him S$8, he asked if she wanted to talk. She obliged, not wanting to appear rude. He asked her if she liked hugs and she replied she was “okay” with them.

“He then asked if he could give her a hug. When she did not reply, he moved behind her and hugged her from behind when they were both seated on the floor,” District Judge Yeo noted.

She testified that Lim then touched her breasts while rubbing his groin against her, and hugged her again. 

She did not know what to do, worried he would keep her locked in the room and harm her if she tried to send text messages to her friends for help.

So she acted like nothing had happened and told him she would be leaving soon.

He then moved to the bed and suggested she sit with him. She “felt compelled to comply” and sat on the edge of the bed, the court heard.

He then hugged her from behind again, pushed her down and lay on top of her. He then sat up, asking if she liked sex and wanted to have sex, before saying he was kidding.

She finally said she had to leave and he let her go after telling her not to tell anyone about what had happened.

But she went to a friend’s house nearby and confided in the other girl, who told her to call the police.

The victim did not do so, nor did she immediately tell her parents, as she was scared Lim would come after her. 

But she eventually told her parents and they lodged a police report together.

‘FAR-FETCHED AND UNBELIEVABLE’

In finding that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, District Judge Yeo found that the victim was a credible witness who was “unusually convincing”.

He added: “In my assessment, her evidence, when she described her fears while alone in his bedroom with him with the door closed, was entirely believable and it was very candid… I’m satisfied that her behaviour during the incident was reasonable, given the circumstances she found herself to be in.”

A child psychiatrist who examined the victim also noted that she has felt “sad, fearful and angry” since the incident.

The judge rejected Lim’s assertions that he needed a hug on the first occasion as he was depressed over his National Service. He had also alleged that he had to go close to the victim to examine the gender of a hamster she was holding.

But he had not mentioned this to the police, instead telling them he had found her attractive and was acting on impulse.

Lim had also testified in court that they had ended up on the bed because they had lost their balance during the second hug. 

He claimed that after they fell onto the bed he had immediately stood up and moved away.

District Judge Yeo told the court he found these claims “far-fetched and unbelievable”.

Lim, who was represented by lawyer Peter Keith Fernando, will return to court on Sept 17 for mitigation and sentencing.

He could be jailed for up to five years or fined up to S$10,000, or both, for committing an indecent act with a young person.