Man gets 15 months’ jail for molesting 5 years old girl

A 45-year-old petrol pump attendant, who molested a five-year-old girl last June, was sentenced to 15 months’ jail on Thursday (Mar 17). A second charge, also for molesting the girl, was taken into consideration during sentencing.

He cannot be named to protect the victim’s identity.

The man, who has been diagnosed with mild intellectual disability, molested the child in his home at Compassvale Street after his niece, who was supposed to be babysitting the girl and her brother, fell asleep.

On Jun 2, 2015, he called the girl into his bedroom and molested her. His niece woke up about 10 minutes later and called for the child, who ran out of the man’s room. After some probing, the girl told her babysitter what the man had done to her.

The girl’s mother had made babysitting arrangements with the man’s elder sister and niece, who had been looking after the children while their mother worked since 2012.

After the assault, the girl’s mother noticed a “marked changed” in the child’s behaviour. The girl, who was usually well-behaved, began to throw tantrums and “exhibit a high level of anxiety”. The child also started to binge-eat. Her mother then decided to report the matter to the police.

Assistant Public Prosecutor Koh Huimin had urged the court to impose a jail term of at least 12 months, citing several aggravating factors, including the victim’s young age.
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The man could have been jailed up to five years, fined and/or caned.