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Man on trial for sexually assaulting 13-year-old step-daughter

SINGAPORE — The trial of a 41-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting his then 13-year-old step-daughter in 2012 began at the High Court on Tuesday (Feb 16).

Reuters file photo

Reuters file photo

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SINGAPORE — The trial of a 41-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting his then 13-year-old step-daughter in 2012 began at the High Court on Tuesday (Feb 16).

The safety coordinator for an engineering and construction company, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, is claiming trial to four charges, including three counts of committing an indecent act with a child and one count of sexual assault of a minor.

The accused married the girl’s mother in March 2012 and sexually assaulted his step-daughter shortly after, in July the same year, the court heard today.

The prosecution alleged that on July 27, 2012, whilst home alone with his step-daughter in the family’s Jurong flat, the man called her into his bedroom and sexually assaulted her.

He had tried to hug and kiss her that morning, but the victim rejected him, prosecutors said. The man had also hugged and kissed his step-daughter the day before, they added.

The prosecution is expected to call nine witnesses to testify in the trial, including the victim’s family members, friend and teacher.

Today, the victim testified in a closed-door hearing as the prosecution’s first witness. To protect the identity of the now 17-year-old, the court session was not open to the public.

Also expected to testify is the doctor who examined the victim at KK Women’s and Children’s hospital and a senior consultant of the Institute of Mental Health’s Child Guidance Clinic.

If convicted, the man faces up to five years’ jail and a fine of up to S$10,000 per charge of committing an indecent act with a child. For sexual assault of a minor, he could be jailed up to 20 years and fined and faces caning.

The trial is scheduled for eight days. CHANNEL NEWSASIA

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