SINGAPORE: A man who exploited 31 victims and obtained sexual services from some of them, including underaged girls, was sentenced to 81 months’ jail and six strokes of the cane on Wednesday (Apr 16). 

Hee Lic Yuan, 32, pleaded guilty to 15 charges in January, with another 44 taken into consideration for sentencing. 

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Jing Min sought a sentence of at least 100 to 107 months’ jail with seven to nine strokes of the cane, given the seriousness of the offences. 

Hee’s lawyer Tanaya Kinjavdekar from Trident Law Corporation urged the judge to consider a lighter sentence since the offender has realised “the severity” of his acts. 

She said that Hee, who was arrested on Mar 31 in 2021, had “voluntarily revoked” his bail as a means for him to seek penance.

She added he had sought psychiatric help and was diagnosed with compulsive sexual behavioural disorder, which was found to have a “contributory link” to his offending. 

The court also heard that Hee has been practising abstinence from all sexual behaviours. 

Delivering his sentence on Wednesday, District Judge Ow Yong Tuck Leong pointed out that there was a “large number” of victims in this case and that Hee's offences were “highly meditated”. 

He said that the onus was on the accused not to take advantage of young victims, adding that he, as well as likeminded offenders, cannot downplay their blame by relying on the victim’s “perceived willingness” to comply with their requests. 

This would likely stem from the victims' immaturity or lack of financial resources, the judge added. 

WHAT HAPPENED 

Hee, who was a business analyst with a bank at the time of his offences from 2019 to 2021, had hatched a plan to cheat women and girls into giving him explicit photos and sexual services.

He promised to pay them, but never did so.

He would approach the victims online and ask them to be his "sugar babies", offering payment for explicit photos and videos. He also obtained sexual services from some of the victims.

Before 2020, he paid for nude photos and sexual services with females aged 16 to 20. He also took voyeuristic phot...