Man accused of attempted rape of 15-year-old after Truth Or Dare game fails to show up in court

Selina Lum
The Straits Times
March 22, 2021

A 21-year-old man who was due to enter his plea on Monday morning (March 22) for sexual offences went missing after having breakfast with his father and lawyer, and failed to show up in court.

The High Court has issued a warrant for the arrest of the accused, who is one of two men accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl when she became drunk following a game of Truth Or Dare.

He faces one count of attempted rape and two counts of sexual assault by penetration. He was 18 years old when he allegedly committed the offences against the girl on Oct 17, 2017 at the foot of a Housing Board flat in Pasir Ris Street 51.

The parties in the case cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the victim's identity.

The man also faces unrelated charges of theft, causing hurt and dishonest misappropriation.

His lawyer, Mr Clarence Lun, told the court on Monday that before the court hearing scheduled for 10am, he met the accused and his father for breakfast at the adjacent building.

However, at about 9.10am, the accused said he had a stomachache and went to the toilet.

Mr Lun said when the accused did not return after some time, they went searching but could not find him.

The accused also did not respond to phone calls and text messages, the lawyer said.

His father, who stood bail for him, told the court that he did not believe his son would jump bail.

The issue of whether the $30,000 bail would be forfeited will be determined at a separate hearing.

The man's co-accused, a 21-year-old man, had earlier pleaded guilty to raping the girl.

In the early hours of Oct 17, 2017, the girl became increasingly intoxicated as she played Truth Or Dare at a void deck with a group of friends.

When the group left the block, the girl had to be piggybacked, as she was too drunk to walk properly.

At about 4am, the two accused waited for the girl when she stopped to relieve herself at the foot of a block, and became separated from the others who had gone ahead.

The girl then rested on the ground.

The duo tried to rouse her, and when she did not respond, they allegedly touched her breasts and sexually violated her.

The Straits Times

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