A Singapore court sentenced a 72-year-old man to 23 years in prison for raping and sexually abusing his adopted granddaughter over a full five-year period, beginning when the victim was only nine years old, using art supplies to lure her.
This case shocked society deeply after a Singapore court sentenced the 72-year-old man to 23 years in prison for raping and sexually abusing his adopted granddaughter over five years, starting when she was only nine. The court noted the perpetrator’s cunning grooming tactics, luring the child for indecent acts in a car. The victim kept the abuse secret for years before expressing her feelings through a painting to her teacher, who then questioned her and uncovered the truth.
This heartbreaking case remained hidden until 2024, when the girl, then in early secondary school, submitted an artwork titled "Struggle." She painted a human back being encircled by many mysterious hands. When her art teacher asked about the painting’s meaning, the girl revealed she had been sexually abused by her adoptive grandfather. The teacher promptly contacted the girl’s mother, leading to a police report and prosecution of the offender.
The abuse occurred from 2018 until July 2023. The perpetrator, then in his sixties, singled out this granddaughter among all his grandchildren. He pretended to be a kind grandfather, inviting her alone to shopping malls, promising to buy things she wanted. Then he would drive her to a secluded high-rise car park to commit rape.
If the girl resisted, the man would use art supplies and toys she liked as bait to exchange for sex, eventually forcing her into submission due to her naivety. He also warned her to keep it secret. On other occasions, when the family dined out, he took the girl to a room to assault her. Reports say the girl continues to suffer from PTSD, experiencing traumatic flashbacks of the abuse.
The prosecutor told the court that the defendant’s behavior was systematically premeditated, gaining the victim’s trust. His actions escalated from molestation to brutal rape as the girl aged 11 to 12.
The court then decided to sentence the defendant to 23 years for three major counts of rape of a child under 14, along with 18 related charges. However, under Singapore law, the defendant avoided caning because he is over 50 years old but must serve prison time for the serious crimes.
.source :channelnewsasia
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