SINGAPORE — The man who raped a woman thrice within a span of 20 minutes on Chinese New Year’s Eve three years ago was on Tuesday (May 10) sentenced to 16 years, 10 months and two weeks in jail.

For Lim Choon Beng’s “shocking and brazen offence”, the High Court also sentenced him to 22 strokes of the cane. 

Lim, 30, initially claimed trial, saying he had no recollection of the rape, but pleaded guilty on the second day of his trial last Wednesday to two counts of rape. He also pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault and one count of aggravated outrage of modesty. Four other charges were considered in sentencing him.

The victim, a performing artiste from China, now 27, cannot be named due to a court order to protect her identity.

In sentencing Lim, Judicial Commissioner Foo Chee Hock, who arrived at the verdict after a closed-door discussion with parties which lasted more than two hours, said Lim’s acts “shattered” the notion that people can “walk safely on the roads of Singapore at any time of the day”.

Lim’s acts warrant a deterrent penalty to signal that similar offences will be “punished with the full force of the law”, said JC Foo.

On Feb 9, 2013, an intoxicated Lim, who was unacquainted with the victim, raped her outside The Watermark @ Robertson Quay condominium along Rodyk Street at around 3.15am. Her ripped panties, with a tear measuring 23.5cm across the back, were found in the vicinity, while the slider of the zipper on her dress was dislodged.

The assault lasted about 20 minutes, with Lim raping her two more times — outside another condominium at Robertson Quay and then near a lamp post along River Valley Close. At one point, he slammed her head against the wall of the Robertson 100 condo.

The victim had broken down when she took the stand last week. She had returned to China after the ordeal, which left her fearful of male strangers, and she has suffered from recurring nightmares since the attack, the court was told.  

Citing the trauma inflicted on his victim, prosecutors had sought at least 17 years’ jail and 24 strokes of the cane for Lim, which is the maximum number of strokes allowed. They noted Lim’s initial decision to claim trial despite the overwhelming evidence against him, and said his plea of guilt should not be seen as a “true demonstration of a contrite heart”. 

Rather, it was “more of a reflection of his negative assessment of the merits of his defence”, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Zhuo Wenzhao. 

Lim’s lawyer, Mr Anand Nalachandran, asked for a jail term of between 13 and 15 years with caning, citing Lim’s admission of guilt as a sign of “genuine remorse”.

Lim’s sentence will be backdated to Sept 14, 2013, which was after he had served time for offences related to unlicensed moneylending, and remanded again for the rape and sexual assault charges. He could have been jailed 20 years, with caning and a fine for rape and sexual assault.