Paedophile who sexually assaulted two sisters gets 20 years' preventive detention

SINGAPORE: A paedophile who sexually assaulted two young sisters while posing as a Housing and Development Board (HDB) officer was given the maximum preventive detention term of 20 years on Monday (Dec 17).

Hussain Samat, 53, had lured the sisters - then aged 12 and 16 - to his flat in May last year, before sexually assaulting them at knifepoint and recording some of the acts.

A pre-sentencing report ordered by the judge showed that Hussain was suitable overall for preventive detention. He was assessed to be in generally good physical condition although he suffers from hypertension, high cholesterol and spine degenerative disease.

He was also diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder and psychosis, with a history of schizophrenia, but is currently stable on medicine, Deputy Public Prosecutor David Khoo told the court.

Hussain’s defence lawyer Melvin Loh asked Justice Valerie Thean to backdate his sentence to May 2017, when he was placed in remand, but she rejected his request.

The judge granted the sentence asked for by the prosecution, saying it was an appropriate punishment and noting that the overarching principle for preventive detention was the protection of the public.

She noted that Hussain had re-offended many times since 1985.

“Caning has been imposed on him multiple times before he turned 50,” she said. “All of these sentences have had no effect.”

In particular, she noted that Hussain had been convicted of charges involving sexual crimes against minors in 2001.

“Despite being punished with 14 years’ preventive detention and caning at that time, he continued to re-offend soon after his release,” she said.

She added that psychiatric assessments showed that Hussain was “highly likely to re-offend” and that he had a “high denial of sexual violence tendencies”, once replying that he felt “satisfied” when asked about his victims of sexual assault.

She added that his present offences were shocking and of “grave concern”, presenting an escalation from his previous offences, with a high degree of premeditation and repeated threats of physical violence to coerce the sisters into doing his bidding.

Hussain’s family was not in court for the sentencing. The judge allowed him a phone call after the hearing.