Girl was 9 when older brother started raping her: She was crying, bleeding but he didn't care

Wong Shiying
The Straits Times
Dec 2, 2022

He was 15 when he started sexually assaulting his biological younger sister, then nine, and the abuse went unnoticed for over 3½ years.

He committed the offences when no one else was at home and forced himself on her when she tried to stop him.

The perpetrator, now 20, was on Friday sentenced to 18 years’ jail and 16 strokes of the cane after he pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual penetration of a minor below 16 years of age.

Another three counts of rape, two counts of sexual penetration of a minor and a charge of possessing obscene films were taken into consideration for his sentencing. 

The man cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the identity of his sister.

The court heard that the victim and her brother lived with their parents in a three-room flat with two bedrooms. They slept with their parents in one bedroom and the other was rented out to tenants.

The siblings used to share a close relationship but it turned sour when the abuse started.

He first sexually assaulted her on March 21, 2017, when their parents and the tenants were at work.

The victim was lying on her bed when her brother walked into the bedroom wearing only his underwear and assaulted her.

The girl felt severe pain and tried to push her brother away but could not do so as he was stronger.

After the incident, he told the victim not to tell anyone about what had happened.

He struck again between Jan 1 and March 21, 2018. When his sister cried from the pain of the assault, he told her to relax. 

It was only after she pushed him a second time on the chest that he stopped. 

Between April and May 2019, he told his sister to follow him to the toilet in the kitchen.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Michelle Tay said the victim complied because “she felt it was pointless to resist the accused as he was stronger than her and no one else was home”.

He then forced his sister to perform a sex act on him.

His offences came to light when his sister confided in a friend about the assault and made a police report on Nov 11, 2020.

Seeking 16 to 20 years’ jail and 11 strokes of the cane, DPP Tay said the accused exploited the power and authority he had over his younger sibling.

“The victim was in obvious pain on many occasions – crying and bleeding from being penetrated by the accused – but he did not care,” she said.

The prosecutor added that there was a severe breach of trust in this case. “He sexually abused the victim in their family home, violating the safe sanctuary of a home and robbing the victim of her refuge.”

In sentencing him, Justice Mavis Chionh said the victim’s spirit “if not entirely broken by then, must have been greatly diminished”.

She agreed with the prosecution that rehabilitation has been displaced by deterrence and retribution as the predominant sentencing considerations in this case.

For sexual penetration of a minor, an offender can be jailed for up to 20 years and fined or caned.