Three young British men were sentenced Tuesday to jail time and caning for sexually assaulting a Malaysian woman during a stag party in Singapore.
Khong Tam Thanh, Le Michael and Vu Thai Son, in their 20s, were originally accused of rape but pleaded guilty on Monday to a lesser charge of aggravated outrage of modesty after a four-day trial.
High Court Judge Hoo Sheau Peng slammed their “reprehensible” conduct and sentenced the trio, British citizens of Vietnamese origin, to jail terms of between five and a half years to six and a half years.
They were also sentenced to between five and eight strokes of the cane each. Caning is a punishment dating back to British colonial rule in Singapore and involves being flogged with a rattan stick.
The attack happened in Singapore in September last year, when the trio travelled to the city-state for a bachelor party. The groom, the brother of Khong, was also on the trip.
After attending an electronic music festival, the men met the 23-year-old victim at a popular nightspot, and she went back to a hotel with one of their friends.
Later, Khong, 22, Le and Vu — both 24 — took turns to enter the room where she lay drunk and unconscious and have sex with her, with the woman waking up as Le assaulted her.
{{/usCountry}}Later, Khong, 22, Le and Vu — both 24 — took turns to enter the room where she lay drunk and unconscious and have sex with her, with the woman waking up as Le assaulted her.
{{/usCountry}}As well as outrage of modesty, Khong and Vu, who worked as beauticians in Britain, were also convicted of an additional charge of sexual assault.