In a distressing case, a 45-year-old man has been handed a 10-year jail term and 12 strokes of the cane for sexually assaulting a younger male acquaintance. The assault took place in 2017, following a night of drinking, when the victim was in a semi-conscious state. After a trial, the assailant, Jeffrey Pe, was found guilty of three charges of sexual assault by penetration. This article provides an overview of the case and highlights the sentencing details.
Pe, who claimed that the victim had consented to the acts, had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges of sexual assault by penetration. However, in April, he was convicted after High Court judge Mavis Chionh deemed him to be a “disingenuous witness.” Judge Chionh also noted that the victim provided compelling and credible evidence.
The victim, a 20-year-old Singapore permanent resident from Britain, remains anonymous due to a court order protecting his identity. Pe intends to appeal the sentence and is currently out on bail.
The two individuals met at Hero’s pub along Circular Road in July 2017. After exchanging phone numbers, they met again on July 30 at a bar to celebrate Pe’s birthday. Pe gained the younger man’s trust by presenting himself as sociable and capable of introducing him to new people. They met again on August 8 to commemorate the completion of the victim’s full-time National Service.
After consuming alcoholic beverages at various establishments in Chinatown, the victim felt intoxicated and requested to stay at Pe’s place. They took a cab to Pe’s condominium, where the victim fell asleep on the floor in Pe’s bedroom. Later, the victim woke up to find Pe performing oral sex on him and using his fingers to sexually penetrate him twice. Despite being semi-conscious, the victim pushed Pe away, washed up in the bathroom, and promptly reported the assault to his friend and the police. Pe was arrested a few hours later.
During the sentencing, Justice Chionh highlighted the victim’s vulnerability due to intoxication as an aggravating factor. She emphasized that the victim, in his intoxicated state, was incapable of consenting to the sexual acts. The court also acknowledged the harm suffered by the victim, as diagnosed by a psychiatrist from the National University Hospital who identified symptoms of anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress.
Justice Chionh dismissed the defense’s claim that Pe had been cooperative with the authorities, stating that no evidence was provided to support such a claim. The judge also emphasized that the defense’s argument of Pe’s past good character and charitable acts, based on character letters, could not offset his current offenses.
The sentence, which aligns with the severity of Pe’s crimes, serves as a suitable reflection of his criminality. Each charge of sexual assault by penetration carries a maximum punishment of 20 years’ imprisonment, fines, or caning.
The sentencing of Jeffrey Pe to 10 years’ imprisonment and caning for sexually assaulting an intoxicated male friend underscores the severity of the crime committed. The court recognized the victim’s vulnerability and the harm he experienced, providing a just outcome for the victim and sending a message about the consequences of such reprehensible actions.
