Man who tried but failed to rape female friend when she was drunk gets jail, caning

Shaffiq Alkhatib
The Straits Times
January 18, 2024

A man who tried but failed to rape his drunk female friend after a drinking session was sentenced to four years and six months’ jail and three strokes of the cane on Jan 18.

The 39-year-old Filipino offender, who cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the victim’s identity, pleaded guilty on Jan 15 to an attempted rape charge.

Two molestation charges involving the same woman, a Filipina, were considered during sentencing.

In earlier proceedings, the prosecution said that on April 1, 2019, the man, the victim and two other people went to 1-Altitude bar in Raffles Place, where they drank large amounts of alcohol.

The victim became intoxicated and started throwing up.

The group left the nightspot around 1am and the offender helped her to a taxi stand, where they boarded the same taxi.

It was travelling to the man’s home when he pulled her towards him so that she could rest her head on his shoulder.

He molested the victim, who was drifting in and out of consciousness at the time.

When they reached the destination, he took her to his apartment and helped her to a bed, resting beside her when she fell asleep.

He molested her again between 3am and 5am that day.

Deputy public prosecutors Muhamad Imaduddien and Emily Koh stated in court documents: “The victim felt weak when she woke up and tried to turn away from the accused, but the accused managed to pull down (her top).”

The offender undressed the victim and tried but failed to rape her as she managed to keep her legs crossed.

Her boyfriend turned up at the unit soon after and took her back to her own home.

The victim later confided in her close friends. She also sought help from advocacy organisation Association of Women for Action and Research as she was having nightmares and panic attacks following her ordeal.

She attended a counselling session on May 14, 2019 and lodged a police report 13 days later.

She continued attending counselling sessions until July 2019 but stopped due to her work schedule.

The offender’s bail was set at $50,000 on Jan 18. He was ordered to surrender himself at the State Courts on Feb 13 to begin serving his sentence.