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Man seeks to retract plea, after admitting to raping 15-year-old girl who got drunk playing ‘truth or dare’

SINGAPORE — Just a month ago, a man pleaded guilty to raping a 15-year-old girl who became intoxicated while playing a game of “truth or dare” with a group of male youths in Pasir Ris in 2017.

The scene of the alleged rape: Block 557 Pasir Ris Street 51.

The scene of the alleged rape: Block 557 Pasir Ris Street 51.

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SINGAPORE — Just a month ago, a man pleaded guilty to raping a 15-year-old girl who became intoxicated while playing a game of “truth or dare” with a group of male youths in Pasir Ris in 2017.

But on Monday (Dec 2) — the day the 21-year-old man was supposed to be sentenced — he told the High Court that he wanted to retract his plea as he is now disputing the facts that he had previously admitted to.

The accused cannot be named due to a gag order.

The reasons for retracting his plea of guilty were not aired in court, but were stated in a letter that was handed to the prosecution.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Winston Man told the court that the accused’s grounds as set out in the letter, “technically speaking”, did not satisfy the legal threshold required for a plea retraction.

Still, Mr Man said the accused is entitled to make such an application.

The man’s lawyers, Mr Marcus Tai Kai Xuan and Mr Sze Gek Pek of Asia Law Corporation, who were informed of the accused’s decision only on Monday, have opted to discharge themselves.

Justice Audrey Lim gave the accused one month to find a new team of lawyers to help him make the application to retract his plea.

FACTS OF THE PLEA

The accused originally pleaded guilty to the offence in the High Court on Oct 31.

The man, who was referred to in court documents as A1, admitted to one charge of rape, which could result in a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine or caning.

Seven other charges of sexual assault by penetration, criminal intimidation, affray, disorderly behaviour in a public place and using abusive words on a public officer were to be taken into consideration during his sentencing.

At that hearing, the court heard that the accused’s group of male friends had, in the wee hours of Oct 17, 2017, asked if he and another youth wanted to have sex with the girl, who had drunk four cans of beer playing truth or dare and on her own volition.

The accused was 19 years old then. Both he and the other youth, who was then aged 18, worked as waiters.

Neither answered as they thought it was a joke.

Still, the friend, who was referred to in court documents as A2, and another male went to a provision shop to buy three condoms for S$1 that they had taken from the girl’s wallet. A2 gave one condom to A1 and kept the other two for himself.

The group then began leaving when A1 said he wanted to go home. But as the victim was intoxicated and could not walk properly, A1 and another of his friends took turns to carry her on their backs.

A while later, A1 and A2 waited for her as she stopped to urinate at a corner at the foot of Block 557, Pasir Ris Street 51, while the other boys went ahead.

It was past 4am, and as she lay down on the ground after feeling an urge to vomit, A1 and A2 allegedly began sexually assaulting the girl.

During the alleged rape, one of the other boys called A2 to find out where they were, and he replied with a text message on A1’s instructions, saying that they were taking care of the victim.

Both A1 and A2 then ensured that she was fully dressed before calling one of the others who had walked ahead. After leaving the girl with that friend, they went home.

That night, the victim told another male friend, aged 19, that she had been raped. She also told another male friend, also aged 19, who did not attend the gathering of what happened.

The duo then called A2, asking him to return and explain what had happened. And when A2 did, the victim immediately confronted and slapped him. At that time, A2 said A1 had raped her but claimed that he had done nothing.

The police arrested both A1 and A2 later that day after the victim provided a full account at Bedok Police Station. The victim, who is now aged 17, is a Singapore permanent resident.

FIND NEW LAWYER, OR MAINTAIN GUILTY PLEA: JUDGE

On Monday, Justice Lim noted A1’s intention to appoint a new lawyer to assist him in the retraction of his plea of guilt.

“I am not here to give you legal advice. You heard the effect of the letter that you wrote today,” she said. “But I give you the chance to engage a new counsel, then decide what you intend to do from there – to make out a case (to retract your) plea of guilt or (be) prepared to maintain your plea of guilt.”

She then gave him until Jan 2, 2020 to find a new lawyer. A pre-trial conference would then be held to fix the next hearing date.

The accused remains out on S$30,000 bail.

Related topics

court crime rape

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