SINGAPORE – A delivery driver, who claimed that he had treated his stepdaughter as his own child, ended up molesting the girl on four separate occasions when she was just 12 years old.

On Feb 5, the 37-year-old man, who cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the victim’s identity, was sentenced to four years and two months’ jail, and ordered to receive eight strokes of the cane.

He had pleaded guilty to two counts of molestation, while two other similar charges were considered during his sentencing.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Santhra Aiyyasamy told the court that the victim, who was molested in 2021, initially did not tell her mother about her ordeal as the man had doted on her.

The girl was also worried about breaking up the couple’s marriage and did not want her family members to worry about her.

The man’s offences finally came to light on March 22, 2023, when the mother found out that the victim appeared distracted during her classes.

She spoke to her daughter, who broke down and told her that her stepfather had sexually assaulted her. The 38-year-old woman then lodged a police report later that day.

Court documents stated that the victim first got to know the offender in late 2016 when he was dating her mother.

The couple got married in 2018 and the man later lived with her and her five children, including the victim.

The prosecutor told the court: “The accused cared for the victim and her siblings when the complainant (the mother) was at work. He had assisted the victim with her schoolwork... and cooked meals for the victim and her siblings.”

The mother was at work in late 2021 when the man molested the victim, who was on a bed and using her mobile phone.

The girl felt shocked when he touched her private parts and did not know how to react. He stopped only when she got off the bed and went to the toilet to avoid him.

The man subsequently told the victim to forgive him and not to tell anyone, said the prosecutor.

However, he molested the girl again on another occasion that year while she was sitting in the front passenger seat of a car during one of his delivery jobs.

Court documents did not disclose details about the two other molestation charges, which were taken into consideration during sentencing.

The court heard that following these assaults, the victim started feeling sad, fearful, disgusted and angry with herself. She also experienced insomnia and had difficulty trusting others.

The man was arres...