SINGAPORE: A woman is accused of multiple sex-related offences, including grooming a boy and repeatedly having sex with a boy aged below 16 in a parked car.
The 40-year-old Singaporean, who cannot be named due to a gag order prohibiting publication of anything that could identify her or any victim, as well as the incident locations and a particular school, pleaded not guilty on Monday (Mar 2).
She faces a total of 26 charges which include sexual grooming, procuring an obscene act from a young person, sexual penetration of a minor and obstruction of justice.
As every detail of the victim or victims, including the name and date of birth, has been redacted from charge sheets, it is not possible to determine at this stage if the alleged acts were against one victim or multiple victims.
How the woman came to know the alleged victim or victims was not revealed in court documents at this early stage.
The woman entered a plea of not guilty at a mention hearing at the State Courts on Monday.
ALLEGATIONS
According to the charges, the woman allegedly asked for naked photos of a victim aged below 16 between March and September 2023, which the boy gave to her.
In the same period, the woman allegedly initiated a video-call with a boy aged below 16 while both of them were bathing in separate locations, so that she could see him naked.
Sometime in early March 2023, while inside a car parked at a redacted location, the woman is accused of having sex with a male victim aged below 16.
She allegedly had sex with a male victim aged below 16 again on Apr 14, 2023, at another location and again on Jun 20, 2023 at a redacted location.
This incident is also the basis of a sexual grooming charge against the woman. She is accused of intentionally meeting a male victim aged below 16 on Jun 20, 2023, with the intention of committing the offence of sexual penetration of a minor below 16.
The woman is accused of having sex with a male victim aged below 16 at a redacted location between about 2.30pm and 4.40pm on Jun 23, 2023.
On Jul 4, 2023, between about 7.20am and 7.50am, she allegedly did this again in a parked car.
Another session allegedly took place between about 5.45pm and 7.35pm on Jul 26, 2023, in a parked car. She is accused of doing the same inside a parked car the next day, between 7.05pm and 8.10pm.
The next session allegedly took place between about 5.30pm and 7.25pm on Jul 31, 2023 inside a parked car.
Between 10am and 10.25am on Aug 1, 2023 at a redacted location elsewhere, the woman allegedly again had sex with a male victim aged below 16.
The next session allegedly occurred three days later between about 2.45pm and 5.40pm on Aug 4, 2023, this time again in a parked car.
More than a month later, the woman again allegedly had sex with a male victim aged below 16 in a parked car between about 5.45pm and 6.10pm on Sep 13, 2023.
Two days later, she allegedly repeated the offence in a parked car between about 3.15pm and 6.00pm.
The last charge accuses her of obstructing justice by deleting text messages between herself and a victim between Oct 25 and Oct 26 in 2024.
The woman is represented by Mr Kalidass Murugaiyan, according to court records.
Her case has a High Court case number attached to it, which indicates that it could eventually be heard in the High Court where longer penalties can be given.
A date in April was fixed for a criminal case disclosure conference, where both the defence and the prosecution disclose information to facilitate the trial process.
The woman is on bail of S$80,000 (US$62,970).
If convicted of causing a minor to commit sexual penetration, she can be jailed for up to 20 years and fined for each charge. She cannot be caned as she is a woman.
If convicted of sexual grooming, she can be jailed for up to three years, fined, or both.
If convicted of obstructing justice, she can be jailed for up to seven years, fined, or both.
CNA has contacted the Ministry of Education for more information.