20 years' jail for man who raped step-granddaughter

69-year-old sexually assaulted the victim at home when she was nine to 10 years old

- Selina Lum Senior Law Correspondent

A 69-year-old man who raped and sexually assaulted his step-granddaughter at home when she was nine to 10 years old was sentenced to 20 years' jail on Nov 3.

The assaults, which took place from 2016 to 2017, came to light after the girl was referred to a school counsellor for self-harming behaviour, the High Court was told.

On July 27, 2020, she told the counsellor about the abuse, and the school reported the matter to the Child Protective Service (CPS) of the Ministry of Social and Family Development.

On Aug 31 that year, staff from the victim's school and an officer from CPS went to the girl's home to tell her grandmother about her allegations.

It was not mentioned in court why the visit took place around a month after the girl's revelation.

The victim made a police report that night.