Probation for youth who had underage sex with girlfriend, 14, and her brother’s ex-girlfriend, 12

SINGAPORE — He first dated a 14-year-old secondary schoolmate when he was 16. When they broke up about a year later, he began seeing her brother’s 12-year-old ex-girlfriend and also engaged in sexual acts with her.

And in a separate incident in 2020, he was caught taking voyeuristic photos of a teenager who was in a unisex changing room at clothing retailer Cotton On.

On Tuesday (April 12), the Singaporean youth, who is now aged 20, was sentenced to 21 months’ probation. He had earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual penetration of a minor and one count of voyeurism.

Four other similar charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

He cannot be named because he committed some of the offences when he was under 18. The Children and Young Persons Act bans the publication of the identities of young offenders.

For offences of sexual penetration of a minor, it is not necessary for the prosecution to prove that the victim consented to an act of penetration. It is also not a defence that he or she consented to the act.

Probation is usually offered to first-time offenders between 16 and 21 years old. This does not result in a recorded criminal conviction and allows young offenders to continue with their education or employment while serving their sentences. 

As part of his probation conditions, the youth has to perform 50 hours of community service, and he was placed on a time-restriction period from 11pm to 6am when he is not in National Service.

District Judge Christopher Goh ordered him to attend psycho-education lessons, held by a psychologist, on healthy sexuality and responsible sexual conduct in order to address his sexual offending.

He was also banned from using mobile phones, tablets or any devices with an attached camera unless approved by the probation officer.

His parents executed a bond of S$5,000 to ensure his good behaviour.

WHAT HAPPENED

The court heard that he first got to know his first girlfriend, identified as V1, in 2017. She was in Secondary 1 while he was in Secondary 4.

They got into a romantic relationship at the end of that year, while her younger brother was dating the other girl identified as V2.

When V1 turned 14 years old in December 2018, they watched a movie at the cinema before returning to his home. They discussed sexual topics before he led her out of his home towards a common walkway along a staircase.

They then had sex there on his prompting.

In March 2019, she went to his home to help him pack his luggage for an overseas trip. No one else was around. They engaged in consensual sex and he did not use a condom.

They ended their relationship, and the girl’s brother and V2 also broke up.

The accused then began seeing V2 on a regular basis. Their relationship developed and he began discussing with her the sexual acts he had previously performed on V1.

He then took her to Tampines Hub and performed a sex act on her.

Court documents did not state how these offences came to light.

Separately, in July 2020, he targeted a 17-year-old teenager at Bedok Mall’s Cotton On outlet.

While in the unisex apparel changing room, he heard someone entering the cubicle next to his and lifted his mobile phone above the cubicle wall, angling his phone’s camera lens towards the victim.

He took a photograph and saw that the victim was female. He then took a second photo from another angle.

The victim saw his mobile phone, left the cubicle and sought help from another customer. The accused was later detained and arrested.

Adult offenders convicted of sexually penetrating a minor under 14 can be jailed for up to 20 years, and fined or caned. The punishment for the same offence against a minor under 16 is imprisonment of up to 10 years or a fine, or both.

Those convicted of voyeurism can be jailed for up to two years, fined, caned, or given any combination of the three.