Man gets jail and caning for raping his then-girlfriend after forcing his way into her flat

SINGAPORE: A 31-year-old man who raped his then-girlfriend after forcing his way into her flat during a quarrel was sentenced to nine years and three weeks' jail on Tuesday (Feb 8), in what the prosecution called "one of the most heinous and vile crimes".

The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the 29-year-old victim, was also sentenced to six strokes of the cane.

He pleaded guilty to one count of rape, with another two charges taken into consideration for sentencing.

The court heard that the man and the victim were first acquainted in 2017.

They began dating after the man was released from prison in January 2019, and the man later moved into the victim's flat, which she shared with her family.

He was employed as a mover at the time of the offences, while his girlfriend was a customer service officer.

On Nov 29, 2020, the couple had a quarrel. In the wee hours the next day, the man called the victim while she was at work and they had and argument over the phone.

The victim told him she wanted to break up and cut the line, rejecting his subsequent phone calls.

At about 4am on Nov 30, 2020, the man showed up drunk at the victim's workplace. He had consumed at least 10 cans of beer and two 1-litre bottles of whiskey.

He shouted at the victim, declared he would make her life miserable and said he was not afraid to go to jail. He threw her aluminium water bottle at her, striking her forehead and fingers as she blocked the blow.

He also struck her with a metal queue pole stand, denting a ring she was wearing and injuring her thigh, before leaving.

HE WAS KICKED OUT BUT CONTINUED SEEING THE VICTIM

The man was arrested the next day, and the victim's father kicked him out of the family flat. Court documents did not specify who made the police report that led to his arrest.

The offender began sleeping at his workplace, but resumed his relationship with the victim.

They continued to fight over his drinking habits and accompanying aggression, and she made it clear that she would not go out with him if he consumed alcohol, the prosecution said.

On Jan 15, 2021, the victim invited the offender over to her flat after her parents left the house. She had booked a hotel room for the night for the both of them.

The man arrived at the victim's flat at about 5.20pm, but she smelled alcohol on him when she met him at the gate.

They began arguing and the man tried to force his way into the flat through the sliding windows at the living room.

The victim took a knife from the kitchen and threatened to hurt herself if he did not stop.

However, the man managed to force open the living room windows and grilles and climbed into the flat. The commotion drew the attention of neighbours and passers-by, and a police report was lodged.

The man grabbed the victim by the hair and dragged her into the bedroom before molesting her. In the fracas, the victim fell and hit herself twice against the bedside table.

Her boyfriend told her he "(wanted) it", meaning he wanted to have sex. The victim pleaded with him, saying she did not want to.

However, he disregarded her pleas and raped her.

Shortly after, the police arrived and heard the victim shouting.

The man answered the door and the victim rushed out and told the police officers that she wanted the offender to leave. She told them only after he was escorted away that she had been raped.

The victim went to hospital with injuries on her head, elbow and toe, while her boyfriend was arrested. He was examined by the Institute of Mental Health and found to have a longstanding history of problems with substance abuse and heavy alcohol drinking.

The doctor said that while he was likely heavily intoxicated at the time of the offence, he maintained at least some awareness and control of his actions, given the "coordinated and goal-directed nature of his behaviour".

FEMALES HAVE AN INALIENABLE RIGHT TO SAY NO: PROSECUTION

Deputy Public Prosecutors Wong Woon Kwong and Amanda Sum asked for a jail term of between nine years and two weeks and 10 years and three weeks, with six strokes of the cane.

"Females have an inviolable right to be respected and an inalienable right to say no," they said, adding that the offender had inflicted "one of the most heinous and vile crimes" under Singapore's laws by raping his then-girlfriend.

He not only used force in the crime, but intruded into the sanctity of the victim's home, and was voluntarily intoxicated, an aggravating factor, they said.

The pair was in a serious relationship at the time, even contemplating marriage, the court heard.

For the offence of rape, the man could have been jailed up to 20 years and fined or caned.