Prosecution seeks jail term, caning for ‘recalcitrant’ teen rapist

Prosecutors are seeking 15 to 18 years' jail and at least 15 strokes of the cane for a "recalcitrant" teenager who was 14 years old when he raped a 16-year-old at a lift lobby.

The boy, now 16, had sexually assaulted the victim - a total stranger - in 2014 while he was on court bail for a spate of offences, including stealing from an 80-year-old man.

Deputy Public Prosecutor David Khoo told the High Court yesterday that while rehabilitation generally "takes centre stage" in sentencing young offenders, it should "fade into the background" in this case, where the boy had committed "depraved" sexual acts against the victim, and his offences had escalated in severity over a period of five months.

DEFENCE

However, the boy's assigned lawyer Nadia Moynihan pressed for reformative training, a strict regime for offenders aged below 21 that can last between 18 months and three years, arguing that he is amenable to rehabilitation and that there was no premeditation as the boy had acted on impulse in committing the rape.

She said it was inaccurate to describe him as "recalcitrant" as he is not a reoffender, having been punished for previous crimes.

After hearing the arguments, Justice Woo Bih Li called for a report to determine if the boy is suitable for reformative training.

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The case was adjourned to March 6. Neither the accused nor the victim can be named for legal reasons.

On Nov 21, 2014, the boy was tasked by his mother to distribute fliers to flats in Bukit Panjang. After he was done, he spotted the victim at a traffic light junction and decided to follow her as he was aroused. Arriving at her block 15 minutes later, he hurried into the lift with her and pressed the button for the highest floor so that she would not suspect he was trailing her.

But he followed her out when the lift arrived at her stop, saying "baby, I love you" while she kept walking.

He pushed her against the parapet and hugged and kissed her, ignoring her request to go away. He then sexually violated her.
After the sex attack, he said "bye bye", and left.

The victim wept when she got home and told her family what had happened. They later made a police report.