SINGAPORE – When a woman who lived overseas returned to Singapore for a visit in 2024, she met up with a friend of over 10 years at his flat, and stayed over after dinner and drinks.
The meeting turned out to be a harrowing experience for the woman, who was then 30 years old.
As she was leaving the man’s flat in the early hours, he held her down and sexually assaulted her.
On March 16, Tan Boon Seng, who is now 40, was sentenced to eight years’ jail and 10 strokes of the cane after he pleaded guilty to one charge of sexual assault by penetration and one charge of aggravated outrage of modesty.
Three other charges, one each for attempted rape, sexual assault by penetration and outrage of modesty, were taken into consideration during sentencing.
Justice Dedar Singh Gill said the fact that a woman goes to a male friend’s place to drink alcohol and stay over “provides no licence” for them to engage in sexual activity.
The judge considered the force used by Tan, the resulting injuries all over the woman’s body, and the mental harm caused to her.
Justice Gill granted a request by Tan, who is married with children, to defer the start of his sentence so that he can spend more time with his family.
Tan was ordered to surrender at the State Courts on March 24.
The court was told that in June 2024, when the woman returned to Singapore, she contacted Tan to ask if he wanted to meet her and he agreed to do so.
