Auxiliary cop abetted rape of girlfriend by organising threesome

During bondage sex with her boyfriend of two years, a woman who was bound and blindfolded found out that a male stranger was taking part in their tryst.

He turned out to be a stranger her boyfriend had met online and invited to take part in a threesome without her knowledge or consent. And it had happened once before, with her oblivious to what was going on.

The boyfriend, a 27-year-old auxiliary police officer, was sentenced to 23 years and 11 months in jail and given 24 strokes of the cane yesterday. He admitted to abetting the rape of his girlfriend, now 28, first in April 2016, and a second time in August 2016.

He cannot be named to protect the woman's identity.

The High Court heard that the couple started dating in November 2014, and the woman allowed herself to be physically bound during sex after he cajoled her to try new things.

She also relented when he insisted on recording videos of their sexual encounters. But she drew the line at a threesome.

In 2015, the accused contacted Srihari Mahendran, now 23, whom he had met online.

The accused told Srihari about his sexual fantasy of watching another man having sex with his girlfriend, and came up with a plan for a threesome without her knowledge.

In a hotel room on the night of April 29, 2016, the accused tied the woman's hands and blindfolded her. She thought it was part of their usual soft-bondage play.

The accused then let Srihari into the room. The accused had sex with the woman before gesturing for Srihari to take over.

In August 2016, the woman arranged for a staycation at a hotel to celebrate the accused's birthday.

In the early hours of Aug 7 that year, while the victim was sleeping, the accused went to the lobby and took Srihari to the room. The accused then tied the woman's hands and blindfolded her.

The woman realised that something was amiss: Someone was holding her waist and having sex with her, but at the same time, her blindfold was being adjusted.

When she removed her blindfold, she was shocked that there was another person in the room.

She realised her boyfriend had recorded the episode on his laptop.

After viewing the videos of a stranger having sex with her, she told the accused: "This is clearly rape, do you know what you have done?"

He begged her not to alert the police, but she demanded that he call Srihari, who had already left, back to the hotel.

At the lobby, the victim told the receptionist she could have been raped. Srihari was detained by hotel staff after the victim pointed him out as the rapist.

Meanwhile, the accused, who was still in the room, deleted the videos. He and Srihari were later arrested by the police at the hotel.

Yesterday, the accused pleaded guilty to two charges of abetment of rape and one charge of abetment of sexual assault by penetration.

Another 54 charges, including unrelated offences for making obscene films and insulting the modesty of two other women, were taken into consideration.

Srihari's trial is scheduled for next January.

The accused's lawyer, Mr Mohamed Baiross, said his client was willing to testify as a prosecution witness.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Eunice Lau said he "selfishly prioritised his sexual gratification at the victim's expense, and flagrantly breached the trust she had reposed in him".

The accused was allowed to start his sentence on Jan 3. Bail was increased from $50,000 to $80,000.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.