SINGAPORE: Koh Rong Guang was 21 years old and on probation for rioting when he raped a 13-year-old girl three times, took nude photos of her and threatened her with a spanner and brick.

Koh, the purported leader of a local gang, also got someone to circulate compromising photos of the girl and a mutual friend.



On Thursday (Apr 26), he was sentenced to 28 years in jail and 24 strokes of the cane on 11 charges, which included statutory rape, sexual exploitation of a child and criminal intimidation.

In sentencing Koh for his offences, Judicial Commissioner Audrey Lim said that a stiff sentence was warranted to reflect his culpability and deter would-be criminals.

“The offences were planned and pre-meditated, and there were clear aggravating factors. In my view, there are no mitigating circumstances,” she said.

VICTIM GOT TO KNOW KOH THROUGH MALE FRIEND



The court earlier heard that the victim got to know Koh in late 2013 through a male friend Fu Yiming, then 16, who was a member of Koh’s gang.

The first time Koh raped her, it was at the staircase of a karaoke outlet in Choa Chu Kang Centre. The other two rapes took place at the staircase of Block 672A, Choa Chu Kang Crescent.

On one of the occasions, he threatened her by hitting the wall with a spanner close to her face, then forced her to perform oral sex on him. He then raped her, ordered her to strip naked and took photos of her.

On Jan 25, 2014, the last time he raped the victim, Koh had asked the victim to meet him at the staircase at the block. The victim got Fu to accompany her as they had concocted a plan that involved Fu protecting her. However, when they met, Koh punched and kicked Fu.

Koh also pulled the girl’s hair as she tried to turn away. He picked up a brick that was being used as a door-stopper and threatened to smash their faces with it if the girl did not have sex with him.

She gave in. He then forced Fu and the victim into sexually compromising poses and took photos of them.

The girl made a police report after the photographs he had taken of her went viral on social media.

“HE TREATED THE VICTIM WITH UTTER DISREGARD”: PROSECUTION

Koh had claimed trial, denying that he even touched the girl.

In seeking 28 years in jail and 24 strokes of the cane, Deputy Public Prosecutor David Khoo said there were aggravating factors in the case – the victim’s age and lack of consent, pre-meditation of the offences and violence used.

“He treated the victim with utter disregard, as someone to have sex with and 'throw' once he was done using her. He placed the victim under palpable fear, caused her severe emotional distress, humiliated her and performed the sexual acts on her without her consent.”

The victim no longer trusts men, the prosecutor said. First she was "failed by her father" who physically abused her, and she described feeling like she was being punished by Koh without knowing what she had done to deserve such horrific treatment.

"These are the indelible effects of the offences that she will carry with her as she finally attempts to move forward after closing this ghastly chapter in her life," he said.

For each charge of statutory rape and sexual assault by penetration, Koh could have been jailed between eight and 20 years, and caned at least 12 times. For each charge of sexual exploitation of a child, he could have been fined up to S$10,000, jailed up to five years, or both.

Koh intends to appeal against his sentence. He is currently out on S$100,000 bail pending his appeal.