THE underage prostitute at the centre of the online sex ring case apparently had a forged identity card saying she was over 18, a court heard yesterday.
This was revealed by lawyer Peter Fernando, whose client was jailed for 11 weeks yesterday after paying $650 for sex with the minor at a hotel in Bencoolen Street in January last year.
Urging the court to impose a stiff fine or call for a pre-sentence report, he said there were enough mitigating factors for Choong Sin Jian, 28, to be given a non-custodial sentence.
He said evidence the minor had the false IC showing she was 19 years old was found in text messages sent last year between her and pimp Tang Boon Thiew, 39.
Tang, whose case is pending, had told the girl not to bring her card. She asked why, adding that the IC she had with her stated her age as 19.
But Senior District Judge See Kee Oon disagreed that there was any mitigating force in the arguments.
"The sentencing court's focus must be on what the accused had done to avoid committing the offence," he said. "The incontrovertible fact is that he had not made any attempt to inquire about or verify the minor's age."
The judge added that the Singapore permanent resident, who worked as an accounts manager at the time, had allowed himself to be misled by choosing not to exercise due diligence.
"That undermines his claims of having strong mitigating factors in his favour which would warrant consideration for probation or a fine," he said.
Although Choong did not plead guilty at an early stage, the judge gave him some credit for doing so eventually and for his readiness to account for his actions.
The girl was only about two months away from her 18th birthday at the time. The judge said this did not absolve Choong from liability even if it may lend some credence to his claims of being potentially honestly and reasonably mistaken about her age.
Choong had a second similar charge taken into consideration. He is the 15th man to be sentenced so far for having sex with the same girl.
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This was revealed by lawyer Peter Fernando, whose client was jailed for 11 weeks yesterday after paying $650 for sex with the minor at a hotel in Bencoolen Street in January last year.
Urging the court to impose a stiff fine or call for a pre-sentence report, he said there were enough mitigating factors for Choong Sin Jian, 28, to be given a non-custodial sentence.
He said evidence the minor had the false IC showing she was 19 years old was found in text messages sent last year between her and pimp Tang Boon Thiew, 39.
Tang, whose case is pending, had told the girl not to bring her card. She asked why, adding that the IC she had with her stated her age as 19.
But Senior District Judge See Kee Oon disagreed that there was any mitigating force in the arguments.
"The sentencing court's focus must be on what the accused had done to avoid committing the offence," he said. "The incontrovertible fact is that he had not made any attempt to inquire about or verify the minor's age."
The judge added that the Singapore permanent resident, who worked as an accounts manager at the time, had allowed himself to be misled by choosing not to exercise due diligence.
"That undermines his claims of having strong mitigating factors in his favour which would warrant consideration for probation or a fine," he said.
Although Choong did not plead guilty at an early stage, the judge gave him some credit for doing so eventually and for his readiness to account for his actions.
The girl was only about two months away from her 18th birthday at the time. The judge said this did not absolve Choong from liability even if it may lend some credence to his claims of being potentially honestly and reasonably mistaken about her age.
Choong had a second similar charge taken into consideration. He is the 15th man to be sentenced so far for having sex with the same girl.
Email: [email protected]
