Man given reformative training for molesting underaged cousin

Their families were close and she respected her older cousin.

So even though he repeatedly molested her over four years, the girl did not put up a struggle, nor did she confide in anyone, as she did not want to upset the man or spoil the relationship between their families.

The offences came to light in May last year and the man, now 20, was yesterday sentenced to a year of reformative training.

He pleaded guilty last month to three counts of molestation, with four other similar charges taken into consideration. He was later found to be unsuitable for probation.

The man, who cannot be named, to protect the victim's identity, rubbed himself against his cousin on numerous occasions between 2016 and last year.

Between May and June 2016, when he was 15 and she 10, he molested her during a game of hide-and-seek with four other cousins.

She is now 15.

The man paired himself up with her, took her to a bedroom, closed and locked the door, and told her to lie on a mattress as he molested her for two minutes.

In May last year, the girl had just taken a shower at another flat when the man said he needed to use the toilet, which had doors leading to the kitchen and a bedroom.

She wanted to leave via the kitchen to avoid the man, but he pulled her right elbow to try to get her to enter the bedroom.

He stripped her naked and molested her.

Later that month, the girl's older brother noticed she and the man frequently spent time together in a locked bedroom, and told his mother about this.

The girl then revealed the man's advances and made a police report.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Kor Zhen Hong highlighted the extended period over which the offences were committed and the significant age gap between the victim and the man.

He said the latter had a moderate risk of re-offending and a structured environment would reduce this risk.

The man was also diagnosed with conduct disorder, but this did not contribute to his offending, the DPP said.

The man, who did not have a lawyer, said: "I apologise for everything I have done. I accept whatever (punishment) you give me."

The court heard the victim is now living with her mother, who has remarried, and has not had contact with the man since the offences came to light.

For molesting a minor under 14 years old, the man could have been jailed for up to five years, fined, caned, or given any combination of the three punishments.