Teen on probation for underage sex

SINGAPORE - The two teenagers were in a steady relationship when they had sex twice last year.

The problem was that the girl, who turned 15 only last year, was underage on both occasions.

She ended up pregnant after a tryst last October and had to abort a 14-week-old foetus in January this year after her mother found out and took her to make a police report.

Yesterday, her 18-year-old boyfriend, who attended the same secondary school as her, was sentenced to 15 months' probation after pleading guilty to one count of underage sex last October.

He was also ordered by the court to perform 100 hours of community service, and his parents have to sign a $5,000 bond to ensure his good behaviour.

A second charge for a similar offence in January last year was taken into consideration.

The couple, who have been in a steady relationship since February 2012, cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the identity of the girl.

The court heard that the first sex offence took place last January at the staircase landing of an HDB block in Chai Chee Street.

On Oct 7 last year, the boyfriend - who was 17 at the time - met the girl at another void deck in the same area. After chatting at the staircase landing, he asked the girl to have sex and she agreed.

The maximum penalty for having sex with someone under 16 years of age is a jail term of 10 years and a fine.

This article was published on May 6 in The Straits Times.

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