Man who sexually abused granddaughter, 6, over 3 years jailed and fined
For three years, he sexually assaulted his six-year-old granddaughter who was entrusted to his care and swore her to secrecy to hide his misdeeds.
The accused, 65, who cannot be named due to a court order protecting the identity of the girl, was on Wednesday (Jan 12) sentenced to 14 years' jail, 18 strokes of the cane and a $9,400 fine.
He will serve an additional nine months' in jail in lieu of caning as he is above 50 years old and cannot be caned.
The man had earlier contested six charges - one of sexual assault by penetration and five counts of outrage of modesty of a minor under 14 years old.
District Judge Shawn Ho found that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt against the accused and convicted him of those charges on Dec 8 last year.
Before sentencing on Wednesday, the accused was convicted of two more charges of possessing obscene films.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Nicholas Lai and Chee Ee Ling said in their sentencing submissions that the victim had been sexually assaulted repeatedly between 2015 and 2017.
The abuse happened at the accused's home where his wife, four grandchildren - including the victim - and the victim's mother lived. He was working as a chauffeur at the time of his offending.
"Not only did the accused shirk from his responsibility to care for and protect her as a grandfather should, he treated her as a sex toy - one conveniently placed at his flat to satiate his odious sexual desires," the prosecutors said.
They argued that the abuse was deliberate and premeditated: "The accused would isolate the victim by ensuring that no other adults were in plain sight within the flat before (committing the sexual acts)."
The victim's cousin caught their grandfather red handed in 2015 and informed the victim's mother of what had happened.
The victim's mother only took her daughter to KK Women's and Children's Hospital around two years later on Sept 24, 2017, when she complained of pain while urinating.
The accused was arrested later that day.
In the judge's grounds released on Wednesday, he said he accepted the cousin's testimony as the teen was very close to the accused prior to the incident and was balanced in his account.
The prosecutors argued that the accused showed no remorse for his actions as he had tried to cast aspersions on the integrity of the police by claiming he was threatened and induced when he gave his statements.
"When this failed, he changed tact and said that he had (made up) everything in his statement," they said.
The judge said the safe sanctity of the victim's home was violated and the accused had put her at risk of contacting sexually transmitted diseases.
"A family ought to be a wellspring of joy. Here, the accused's acts visited much hurt upon his family. It is hope that time can salve and afford some closure," he added.
The accused will be appealing his sentence.
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