Singapore jails 19-year-old for repeated molestation of sister
A court in Singapore sentenced a 19-year-old man to 12 months in prison and one stroke of the cane for repeatedly molesting his older sister. He pleaded guilty to two charges, while the court took three others into consideration during sentencing.
As Channel NewsAsia reports, when he was 13, the boy committed sexual assault and molestation against his sister without her consent. He then received a 12-month conditional warning. For protection reasons, he was placed in a social care institution for boys for approximately three years and was also enrolled in an adolescent sexual behaviour treatment programme.
Incidents after returning home
In 2023, the young man returned to live with his family. He shared a bedroom with his older sister and younger brother; the three children used two mattresses.
In February 2025, when he was between 17 and 18 years old, he repeatedly molested his sister at night while she was asleep. According to the court, this occurred at least twice a week. At times, the sister woke up, turned away from him, or became angry.
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In mid-February, the family bought a bunk bed: the young man and his younger brother slept on the lower bunk, while his sister slept on the upper bunk. Later that month, when the younger brother was not in the room, the young man again molested his sister while she was asleep. On March 4, 2025, she went to the police.
Court decision
Defence lawyers requested reformative training for the young man, as relevant reports found him suitable for this measure. Prosecutors insisted on imprisonment and corporal punishment, citing the repeated offences against the same victim, a lack of genuine remorse, and insufficient protective measures within the family.
District Judge Carol Ling ruled that the need for deterrence outweighed a rehabilitative approach to the young offender. According to her, the previous intervention focused on rehabilitation had not worked. The young man is appealing the sentence and is currently free on bail. His name has not been disclosed due to a court order intended to protect the victim's identity.
