Three British men to be caned for sexual assault of woman in Singapore

[Tennis]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ore-stag-party

Three British men have been sentenced to jail and caning for sexually assaulting a Malaysian woman during a stag party in Singapore.

The defendants – Khong Tam Thanh, 22, Michael Le, 24, and Vu Thai Son, 24 – were originally accused of taking turns to rape the woman in a hotel room. The three pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of aggravated outrage of modesty.

At the end of the four-day trial, high court judge Hoo Sheau Peng lambasted their “reprehensible” conduct and sentenced them to jail terms of between five and a half and six and a half years.

They were also sentenced to between five and eight strokes of a 1.2-metre rattan cane, a punishment dating to British colonial rule.

“While she was asleep and quite unable to protect herself, they took advantage of her vulnerable state so as to commit these serious sexual crimes,” the judge said. “In doing so, they showed no respect for her dignity and autonomy, and no regard for any harm and hurt they might cause to her.”

The attack took place last September when the three were in the city-state for a stag party. The groom, the brother of Thanh, was also on the trip but was not involved in the incident.

The men met the 23-year-old woman at a nightclub, and she went back to the Carlton hotel with one of their friends – who was not arrested – where they had sex.

Later, Thanh, Son, and Le took turns to enter the room and have sex with her without her consent, the court heard. Khong left the hotel room door ajar after he had assaulted her, according to the Straits Times, which the judge said facilitated further sexual offences.

The woman woke up as Le assaulted her and confronted him. She filed a police report that day.

Thanh and Son, who worked as beauticians in Britain, were also convicted of an additional charge of sexual assault.

Deputy public prosecutor Gnanasihamani Kannan said the three men “objectified her, they treated her like a thing to be used and abused”.

The women did not have to testify in court as the defendants pleaded guilty after the prosecution amended the charges, according to the Straits Times.

Rights groups have condemned the caning of prisoners in Singapore, a country known for its zero tolerance towards crime. Vandalism, overstaying of visas, robbery, drug abuse and sexual abuse are offences for which caning can be used in a sentence.

Prisoners are stripped to expose their buttocks and strapped to a wooden trestle. The pain has been described as excruciating, and a medical officer is on duty as the practice often breaks the skin.

In 2016, authorities carried out close to 1,000 caning sentences, with about a third of those caned being foreigners, according to a US Department of State rights report.

It really is awful to visit a foreign country and commit such a heinous crime. They pled guilty too so there is no doubt. The question here is whether the sentence is appropriate. What do you think?

[Deleted]

They should throw them in the can for longer. Caning is fucking wierd and pointless.

[Freighter]

It really is awful to visit a foreign country and commit such a heinous crime. They pled guilty too so there is no doubt. The question here is whether the sentence is appropriate. What do you think?

The sentence is entirely appropriate.

[XDurionX]

A few strokes for raping a sleeping woman is ridiculous. I disagree with physical punishment, but they should go to jail for a few years.

[Freighter]

They should throw them in the can for longer. Caning is fucking wierd and pointless.

It's not pointless, it serves as a deterrent and to humiliate them.

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A few strokes for raping a sleeping woman is ridiculous. I disagree with physical punishment, but they should go to jail for a few years.

Why is it ridiculous?

[Daedius]

Oh my poor bleeding heart goes out to them... fuck rapists.

[Deleted]

It's not pointless, it serves as a deterrent and to humiliate them.

It does humiliate them but its cruel and unusual. It doesn't serve as a detterrent. It didn't fucking deter them did it.

A few strokes for raping a sleeping woman is ridiculous. I disagree with physical punishment, but they should go to jail for a few years.

They are getting 3-5 years in the can as well...

WTF kind of punishment is that? That's so lenient... they should be fucking jailed!

another non reader.

[Freighter]

WTF kind of punishment is that? That's so lenient... they should be fucking jailed!

"At the end of the four-day trial, high court judge Hoo Sheau Peng lambasted their “reprehensible” conduct and sentenced them to jail terms of between five and a half and six and a half years.

They were also sentenced to between five and eight strokes of a 1.2-metre rattan cane, a punishment dating to British colonial rule."

Caning isn't lenient, by the way.

[XDurionX]

Why is it ridiculous?

That's not a punishment. They might not be able to ride a bycicle for a week, the victim is scarred for life.

Edit: Missed the jailtime. That seems appropriate.

[anveena]

I don't see anything wrong with the sentence.

[Freighter]

I does humiliate them but its cruel and unusual. It doesn't serve as a detterrent. It didn't fucking deter them did it.

So because something doesn't stop all crime it's not a deterrent?

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That's not a punishment. They might not be able to ride a bycicle for a week, the victim is scarred for life.

"At the end of the four-day trial, high court judge Hoo Sheau Peng lambasted their “reprehensible” conduct and sentenced them to jail terms of between five and a half and six and a half years.

They were also sentenced to between five and eight strokes of a 1.2-metre rattan cane, a punishment dating to British colonial rule."

[Daedius]

another non reader.

Think I need glasses...

[Deleted]

So because something doesn't stop all crime it's not a deterrent?

Its been debunked as an argument a million times. That sentences are deterrents to crime.

[Freighter]

Its been debunked as an argument a million times. That sentences are deterrents to crime.

You can think so but they are.

[Revi]

I'm against corporal punishment, but I can't defend it all that well. I'm not sure short-term physical pain is less humane than long-term psychological pain. I'd rather have some caning than years in a Singapore jail.

It feeds more into the "punishment" part of prison than "rehabilitation", but than again jails Singapore are apparently awful places, so it fits with the rest.

Ultimately they harmed someone for their own pleasure, it's entirely their own fault that they're facing caning and jail time.

[derpkitteh]

i would go with one year in prison, and 500 lashes every week that they're in prison.

i believe lashings are a good punishment that should be used here in the states.

[Deleted]

The sentence is entirely appropriate.

No, they should've gone to prison.

[XDurionX]

i would go with one year in prison, and 500 lashes every week that they're in prison.

i believe lashings are a good punishment that should be used here in the states.

Yeah, why not beat up and torture prisoners.

[Azadina]

I'm against corporal punishment, but I can't defend it all that well. I'm not sure short-term physical pain is less humane than long-term psychological pain. I'd rather have some caning than years in a Singapore jail.

I'd rather have some caning than extra years of jail in the jails here, where they are more like hotels. Temporary pain vs years locked up....I'd pick the first.

[Freighter]

No, they should've gone to prison.

They are. Caning is an additional punishment on top of that.