'Father figure' on trial for sexual abuse

She looked up to him as a father figure after her father died.

But instead of caring for her, he allegedly betrayed his 12-year-old niece's trust in him.

Over three years, he allegedly raped her and performed various sex acts on her, all without her consent.

The man, a 51-year-old Malaysian national, is now facing six sex-related charges.

Yesterday at the High Court, he claimed trial to five of them: one count of rape, two of committing carnal intercourse, one of committing an indecent act using his tongue, and one of molesting her.

He admitted to one count of penetrating her with his finger.

The prosecution said in its opening statement that the girl's father died in 2003.

MULTIPLE SEX ACTS

From there, the uncle allegedly sexually groomed the girl and performed multiple sex acts on and with her.

One such occasion was on Feb 25, 2005, when they were alone in an HDB flat.

The girl, who was then 12, was preparing to change and head out to visit her mother, who had been hospitalised.

Her uncle allegedly helped remove her clothes and sat her down on a sofa in the living room.

He then allegedly made the girl perform oral sex on him before doing the same on her.

He allegedly continued his sexual advances that night when she was staying over at his flat.

As she was sleeping in her cousin's room, he allegedly woke her up, slipped his hand into her shorts and touched her private parts.

The following year, he allegedly raped her in his bedroom.

That same year, the uncle allegedly made the girl perform oral sex on him again.

In March 2008, he allegedly penetrated her with his finger.

Yesterday, said the prosecution, a psychiatrist from the Institute of Mental Health said that the girl had suffered post-traumatic stress disorder following the alleged sexual assaults.

The trial continues today.

rloh@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on August 26, 2015.
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