16-year-old boy pleads guilty to keeping a lookout while two teens raped and sexually assaulted girl

SINGAPORE: A 16-year-old boy admitted on Thursday (Oct 6) to a series of crimes including keeping a lookout while two teens raped and sexually assaulted a girl, taking a voyeuristic video of a schoolmate and assaulting a boy in a school canteen.

The Singaporean, who cannot be named due to gag orders protecting the victims as well as by virtue of being a minor himself, pleaded guilty to four charges.

These are for theft, abetment of rape, voluntarily causing hurt and voyeurism. Another four charges will be considered in sentencing.

THE RAPE

On Sep 1, 2023, the teen was with his co-accused, a 16-year-old Singaporean boy referred to as B2 in court documents.

The pair was with B2's girlfriend, a 13-year-old girl called V1 in court papers, and other friends.

They drank alcohol at a playground near Hillion Mall in Bukit Panjang, with V1 drinking two-and-a-half bottles of soju and vomiting.

Her boyfriend saw that she had become drunk and was speaking gibberish.

Three of the girl's female friends moved her to a staircase landing of a nearby multistorey car park and helped her change her soiled shorts.

They then left on the instructions of the girl's boyfriend B2. B2, the offender, and a third male teen aged 15 stayed at the car park with the intoxicated girl.

The offender was asked by the other two boys to keep a lookout for the police.

While he did so, the pair sexually assaulted the girl and raped her.

A passerby told the offender that the police were coming up, and he quickly informed the sexual offenders what was happening.

The boys put on the girl's shorts for her and fled. However, the police managed to stop the 15-year-old boy. He claimed that he was just passing by with his friends and that he did not know the intoxicated girl.

The police instructed the boy to call the offender and the victim's boyfriend back. The boyfriend returned but denied knowing the victim.

The offender did not return, as he had run away from a boys' home and did not want to be detected.

The victim was admitted to hospital and diagnosed with alcohol intoxication and mild dehydration.

The police did not arrest the 15-year-old boy or the victim's boyfriend, the prosecution said.

However, a psychologist working at a boys' home subsequently lodged a police report as the offender told her that he was asked to keep a lookout while two boys raped the victim.

THE VAPE ASSAULT

On the morning of Jan 9 this year, a 12-year-old boy was approached by two boys aged 13 and 14 in the canteen of a school.

The boys asked the victim if he had reported them, along with the accused, to the school for vaping.

The victim kept quiet and refused to respond, but noticed that one of the boys sent a text message to someone.

Shortly after, the offender joined the group in the canteen. He repeatedly challenged the victim to a fight, but the victim refused.

He then slapped the victim on his cheek, while the 13-year-old boy punched the victim's cheek.

The trio of attackers left, but returned soon after with the offender slapping the victim again. The 14-year-old boy also slapped the victim.

They began heading to the school hall when the bell rang, but the offender punched the victim's cheek while on the way there.

The victim did not seek medical treatment. His father lodged a police report subsequently.

VOYEURISM

On Mar 11 this year, an 18-year-old Malaysian boy from the same school as the offender went to the canteen toilet as he had diarrhoea.

He texted his teacher for help to get a pair of shorts to change as he had soiled his pants.

While he waited, the boy left the toilet cubicle open as he could not bear the smell.

The offender, who had been in the canteen, entered the toilet after noticing a commotion.

He saw the boy without his pants on and with his private parts exposed.

He then took out his phone and recorded the victim. But when the victim asked if he had taken a video, the offender denied it. He later sent the video to his friend before deleting it.

After the victim changed, he reported the incident to his school counsellor. A staff member of the school later lodged a police report.

Separately, the offender also admitted to stealing two wireless mouse devices from a Popular bookstore in July 2023.

The prosecution sought a reformative training suitability report and reserved its final position pending the report.

The prosecutor said the severity and frequency of the accused's offending is "especially troubling" and a stiff penalty is required to deter him and other would-be offenders.

"Hence, the dominance of rehabilitation should be viewed with equal weight as that of deterrence and probation ought not to be considered at all," he said.

While the accused was not involved in the sexual activities for the rape case, him keeping a lookout "emboldened the primary perpetrators", said the prosecutor.

The court called for a report assessing the teen's suitability for reformative training and adjourned sentencing to November.

For abetting the rape of a person under the age of 14, an offender can be jailed for between eight and 20 years and given at least 12 strokes of the cane.

The penalties for voyeurism are a jail term of up to two years, a fine, caning, or any combination of these punishments.

For theft, an offender can be jailed for up to seven years and fined.

For voluntarily causing hurt, those found guilty can be jailed for up to three years, fined up to S$3,000, or both. If the victim is below 14, the maximum penalties go up to double.