Public Prosecutor v AEY: Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Case
In Public Prosecutor v AEY, the High Court of Singapore, presided over by Justice Woo Bih Li, convicted AEY on charges of child abuse and sexual assault against an 8-year-old victim. AEY pleaded guilty to four charges, including physical abuse under the Children and Young Persons Act and sexual assault under the Penal Code. The court sentenced AEY to a total of 24 years' imprisonment and 24 strokes of the cane, with the sentences for the sexual assault charges to run consecutively. The appeal against the sentence was filed.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Accused convicted on all charges; sentenced to 24 years' imprisonment and 24 strokes of the cane.
1.3 Case Type
Criminal
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
AEY was convicted of child abuse and sexual assault against an 8-year-old victim, resulting in a 24-year imprisonment and 24 strokes of the cane.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Prosecutor | Prosecution | Government Agency | Judgment for Prosecution | Won | Chua Ying-Hong of Attorney-General’s Chambers Sellakumaran Sellamuthoo of Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| AEY | Defendant | Individual | Convicted | Lost |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Woo Bih Li | Judge | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Chua Ying-Hong | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Sellakumaran Sellamuthoo | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
4. Facts
- The Accused was entrusted with the care of the Victim and her younger sister.
- The Accused used a carrot-shaped glass table decorator to slash the Victim’s stomach.
- The Accused pulled the Victim’s hair and punched her face.
- The Accused penetrated the Victim’s mouth with his penis.
- The Accused penetrated the Victim’s vagina with his finger.
- The Victim suffered physical injuries, including a scar on her stomach and a tear in her hymen.
- The Victim experienced psychological trauma and emotional distress.
5. Formal Citations
- Public Prosecutor v AEY, Criminal Case No 56 of 2009, [2010] SGHC 3
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Physical abuse by slashing with glass decorator occurred between 8 and 16 March 2008. | |
| Physical abuse by hair pulling and punching occurred in April 2008. | |
| Police received information from the [E] Hospital about the Victim having suffered non-accidental injuries. | |
| The Victim was discharged from [E] Hospital. | |
| The Victim told her foster mother about the sexual abuse. | |
| The Victim’s foster mother lodged a police report at [N] Neighbourhood Police Centre about the Victim having been sexually abused by the Accused. | |
| The Accused was arrested. | |
| Accused remanded. | |
| Victim’s Impact Statement was dated. | |
| Judgment was delivered. |
7. Legal Issues
- Child Abuse
- Outcome: The court found the defendant guilty of child abuse under the Children and Young Persons Act.
- Category: Substantive
- Sexual Assault
- Outcome: The court found the defendant guilty of sexual assault under the Penal Code.
- Category: Substantive
- Sentencing
- Outcome: The court sentenced the defendant to a total of 24 years' imprisonment and 24 strokes of the cane, considering aggravating factors and precedents.
- Category: Procedural
- Related Cases:
- Mohd Iskandar bin Abdullah v PP (MA No 187/98/01)
- PP v Z [2003] SGDC 62
- PP v Firdaus bin Abdullah [2009] SGDC 197
- PP v Selvaraju Jayaselvam (CC No 14/2009)
- PP v Chan Kok Weng (CC No 24/2009)
8. Remedies Sought
- Imprisonment
- Caning
9. Cause of Actions
- Child Abuse
- Sexual Assault
10. Practice Areas
- Criminal Litigation
11. Industries
- No industries specified
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohd Iskandar bin Abdullah v PP | Unknown | Yes | Mohd Iskandar bin Abdullah v PP (MA No 187/98/01) | Singapore | Cited as a precedent for sentencing in cases of child abuse under the Children and Young Persons Act. |
| PP v Z | District Court | Yes | PP v Z [2003] SGDC 62 | Singapore | Cited as a precedent for sentencing in cases of child abuse under the Children and Young Persons Act. |
| PP v Firdaus bin Abdullah | District Court | Yes | PP v Firdaus bin Abdullah [2009] SGDC 197 | Singapore | Cited as a precedent for sentencing in cases of ill-treatment of a child, with the Court of Appeal enhancing the sentence. |
| PP v Selvaraju Jayaselvam | Unknown | Yes | PP v Selvaraju Jayaselvam (CC No 14/2009) | Singapore | Cited as a precedent for sentencing in cases of sexual assault by penetration under the Penal Code. |
| PP v Chan Kok Weng | Unknown | Yes | PP v Chan Kok Weng (CC No 24/2009) | Singapore | Cited as a precedent for sentencing in cases of sexual assault by penetration under the Penal Code. |
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Children and Young Persons Act, Chapter 38 | Singapore |
| Penal Code, Chapter 224 | Singapore |
| section 5(1) of the Children and Young Persons Act | Singapore |
| section 376(1)(a) of the Penal Code | Singapore |
| section 376(2)(a) of the Penal Code | Singapore |
| section 376(4) of the Penal Code | Singapore |
| Criminal Procedure Code (Cap 68, 1985 Rev Ed) | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Child abuse
- Sexual assault
- Penal Code
- Children and Young Persons Act
- Victim
- Accused
- Penetration
- Imprisonment
- Caning
15.2 Keywords
- child abuse
- sexual assault
- Singapore
- criminal law
- Penal Code
- Children and Young Persons Act
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Child Abuse and Neglect | 95 |
| Children and Young Persons Act | 95 |
| Criminal Law | 90 |
| Sexual Offences | 90 |
| Children's Welfare | 80 |
| Criminal Procedure | 60 |
16. Subjects
- Criminal Law
- Child Protection
- Sexual Offences