Man accused of molesting daughter whereas she used digital actuality headset claims he typically needed to self-discipline her

SINGAPORE — A technician accused of molesting his younger daughter testified in court docket on Thursday (June 16) that a number of days earlier than she reported him to the police in January 2020, he had slapped her and threatened to remove her privileges for getting residence late from college.

This was one of many frequent punishments he used to self-discipline her on varied issues — and one of many explanation why he thought she made the allegations in opposition to him, he stated.

The Singaporean father, 35, is now contesting a single cost of molesting the lady someday between July and November 2018 when she was about 12 years previous.

He can’t be named as a result of a court docket order to guard her identification.

He’s accused of pulling up her shirt and performing a intercourse act whereas she was sporting a digital actuality headset in his bed room. 

He faces 4 different prices of molesting her between July 2018 and December 2020. These prices have been stood down for the needs of the trial.

The lady, who’s now 15, testified as a prosecution witness behind closed doorways when the trial started in January. Members of the general public and media weren’t allowed to attend.

NOT TOLD FOR YEARS HE WAS HER FATHER

On Thursday, when questioned by his defence counsel Ashwin Ganapathy from IRB Regulation, the accused instructed the court docket that he knew he was the daddy of the alleged sufferer solely when she was eight years previous.

He had dated her mom, who’s now his spouse, however misplaced contact with the lady till they met once more at a bowling alley in 2014. That was when she instructed him that that they had had a baby collectively, he testified.

“I felt offended as a result of she didn’t come on the lookout for me and inform me that I’ve a daughter… I felt unhappy as a result of I couldn’t elevate my daughter,” he stated.

The little lady “got here operating in the direction of me and hugged me” throughout their first assembly, which shocked him as a result of her mom had stated that she was “very shy”, he added.

“I instructed myself, realizing I have already got a daughter, I wished to care for her. I wished to lift her and begin a household collectively.”

He then tied the knot together with his spouse in 2014 they usually later had two different kids — one other lady, now aged seven, and a boy now aged 5.

The household initially stayed together with his spouse’s mother and father in a Bukit Batok flat earlier than shifting to a different flat close by round end-2018.

When his father-in-law was despatched to jail and later died, his mother-in-law — who works as a cleaner — got here to reside with them as nicely.

GIRL STOLE MONEY, LIED TO PARENTS

The accused instructed the court docket that he shared a really shut relationship with the alleged sufferer from 2014 to 2017. “Mainly, she was the apple of my eye. No matter she needs, I’ll get it for her.”

Nevertheless, he added that issues began going downhill round 2017 to 2018 and bought “a lot worse” from 2019 onwards.

He stated that he needed to scold her extra ceaselessly as a result of she lied to him and his spouse, didn’t go residence straight from college, and frolicked with a buddy who was a nasty affect on her.

For instance, she finally confessed to stealing about S$200 to $300 from her grandmother when he and his spouse pressed her about it.

His varied disciplinary actions included asking her to do extra family chores, confiscating her cell phone, scolding her, slapping her and hitting her with a cane.

The lady additionally raised her voice at her mom and grandmother when he was not residence, he added.

He stated that she would typically cry when he scolded her, however ignore him at instances. “Mainly, she is going to simply present her perspective. After I slap her, she is going to cry and go contained in the room.”

On one other event, he punched her within the stomach after rising “very, very offended” at her for operating away from residence. She saved quiet and cried, he added.

The final time he might recall disciplining the lady was a number of days earlier than his arrest on Jan 15, 2020. He and his spouse came upon that she was hanging out with associates after college as an alternative of going straight residence.

He slapped her face twice and instructed her that he would take away her privileges, together with eradicating her from the varsity’s basketball staff and banning her from going to camp when she was in Secondary 2.

She cried and saved silent as soon as extra, he stated.

The household had additionally put in a digital camera within the frequent room to watch the lady and talk together with her by means of a selected perform, as a result of she didn’t have a cell phone in her youthful years.

The accused testified that he believed his spouse would obtain a notification if the digital camera was turned off, however he was not totally positive about that.

His lawyer, Mr Ganapathy, then confirmed him a digital actuality headset, which he stated was equivalent to the one he had impulsively purchased from e-marketplace Carousell for S$10 to S$12.

He stated that he had forbidden his daughter from making an attempt it on as a result of it might smash her imaginative and prescient, and saved it in a field in his bed room.

‘SHOCKED AND VERY SAD’

When questioned about Jan 15, 2020, the day she made the police report and in addition the day he was arrested, the accused stated that he felt “shocked” and “very unhappy” upon studying of the allegations. He maintained that he didn’t contact her inappropriately or molest her.

He instructed cops that he had just lately disciplined her for coming residence late, which was seemingly why she made the claims in opposition to him. He confirmed with the court docket on Thursday that he nonetheless stood by this cause, amongst others.

He testified that the previous two years of being bodily separated from his kids had been “very tough on me”, and that he “breaks down rather a lot” at work and through his bike rides.

He was charged in September 2020. As a part of his bail circumstances, he was ordered to not straight or not directly contact his spouse or the alleged sufferer.

Nevertheless, he stated on Thursday that he often despatched telephone textual content messages to his spouse to ask about their kids and her well-being.

At one level, he started sobbing on the stand as he recounted how a fireplace just lately broke out at his housing block. He had moved out some time in the past to reside together with his sister in accordance with the bail circumstances.

When he bought there, he noticed the lady with a police officer on the foot of the block.

He testified: “She turned and checked out me. I noticed her crying, in order that’s after I simply ran to her and hugged her.

“The primary phrases she stated had been ‘Daddy, I’m scared’. For that few seconds, I simply hugged her and comforted her. I hugged her tight and stated all the things is okay.”

He added that he was conscious of the bail circumstances however that he couldn’t assist however consolation her, seeing her “very frightened and traumatised” state.

The trial continues on Friday with Deputy Public Prosecutor Sarah Siaw cross-examining him. His spouse and mother-in-law may even testify in his defence.

These convicted of molesting a minor underneath 14 will be jailed for as much as 5 years, fined, caned, or punished with any mixture of the three.