Man who repeatedly raped teen stepdaughter in van, at home gets 22 years’ jail, caning
The victim's mother did not believe her after the man denied any wrongdoing.
In September 2023, a 43-year-old man was sentenced to 22 years in jail and 24 strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to raping his teenage stepdaughter on multiple occasions over a nine-month period. The victim, who was 16 to 17 years old at the time, endured the abuse both inside his delivery van at an empty carpark and within their one-room flat while her mother and siblings slept soundly.
The abuse began when the man sent lewd text messages to the victim, asking for sexual acts. One of the rapes occurred the day after she turned 17. The mother, aware of her daughter's pleas and cries, refused to believe her and even attempted to persuade the victim to drop the case. Despite the family's lack of support, the victim confided in her school teacher, who referred her to a school counsellor.
The teacher reported the incident to the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment helpline, leading to a police report being lodged. CCTV footage and screenshots from the man's two mobile phones captured him engaging in sexual acts with the victim. The man, who worked as a delivery driver, installed CCTV cameras in their flat to monitor the children, but only had access to the recordings through his phone.
Prosecutors argued that the man had groomed the victim by sending her lewd messages and isolated her by enlisting her help with his delivery rounds. They noted that the man's threat to take away her mobile phone, a significant possession for a young person, demonstrated a calculated attempt to manipulate and control her. The judge emphasized that the man's abuse of his position and breach of trust caused lasting damage to the victim and the family unit.
During sentencing, the man admitted to raping the victim on at least 12 occasions between June 2023 and February 2024. In the end, he received a 22-year prison sentence and a further 24 strokes of the cane. The man was initially placed in a drug rehabilitation center from March 2, 2024, to September 6, 2025, before being moved to Changi Prison, where he has remained in remand since.
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