Singapore man gets 25.5 years, 24 strokes for raping 3 girls, 13
What's new: A judge ruled that paying minors for sex made the crimes more serious, rejecting a bid for a lighter sentence.
A Singapore court sentenced Edmund Tan Shi Hui, 28, to 25 1/2 years in prison and 24 strokes of the cane for raping three 13-year-old girls he met online and paid up to S$500 for sex. Tan pleaded guilty to six statutory rape charges, while 10 more charges were considered at sentencing. Justice Andre Maniam held that commercial sex with minors was an aggravating factor, rejecting the defense argument that payment reduced Tan's blameworthiness. The offenses took place between March 2022 and July 2023 after contact on Telegram and Omegle. The girls were assaulted at places including Kovan MRT station, Tan's flat, Punggol and staircase landings before one victim later contacted police.