Man jailed for molesting girl in forest

A sex attacker who tore off a teenager's clothes and chased her into a dark forest was jailed on Wednesday, 15 years after the crime.

Tan Leng Hwa had taken the terrified 16-year-old to a deserted stretch of woodland in Mandai late at night and tried to force himself on her. She fled naked into the bushes, where she hid until he gave up looking and drove off. Tan turned himself in about two weeks later, but jumped bail before the case was heard.

On Tuesday, the 58-year-old was sentenced to four years in jail after pleading guilty to using criminal force to molest the teenager. He will serve a further two months for jumping bail.

Tan befriended the secondary school student and her friends about six months before the attack in 1996, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Davyd Chong.

On the day it took place, he offered to be their chauffeur, driving them wherever they wanted. By 11pm, he had dropped off her four friends. He then took the victim to Lorong Asrama, off Mandai Road, telling her he was looking for some friends who were gambling there.

But when they arrived, the forested area was deserted. Tan parked the car and asked the teenager to be his girlfriend. She refused, but he kept kissing and groping her. He also took away her spectacles, leaving her unable to see clearly.

When she climbed out of the car, he followed her and pulled off all her clothes. To escape his advances, the teenager claimed she was having her period. But Tan carried on molesting her until she broke free and fled into the bushes. He followed, but could not find her in the darkness. Only when he had left did she dare to come out.

Unable to find her clothes, the teenager had to cover herself with a discarded newspaper. She ran to the main road to seek help, but the first driver she tried to stop ignored her. The girl then approached the gate of an army camp, but it was unmanned.

After more than an hour, she finally managed to stop a taxi. She used the cabby's shirt to cover herself for the drive to a police post. A check-up later revealed multiple bruises all over her body and she was put on three days' medical leave.

Tan, who was 42 at the time, surrendered himself to the police. He was charged in March 1997, but jumped bail two months later and went into hiding. He later fled to Malaysia, where he took part in a kidnapping with the help of three Malaysian accomplices. All four were arrested in January 2010 and jailed for restraining a person without permission. Tan was extradited to Singapore in July last year.

On Tuesday, he also pleaded guilty to stealing a $60,000 car in April 1998. This charge was taken into consideration.

DPP Chong said Tan's previous convictions included theft and armed robbery, for which he was jailed for eight years and caned 20 times in 1975. He was also convicted of having a gun without a licence in 1986.

DPP Chong said it was lucky that Tan was unable to find the girl in the jungle. 'Still, the trauma, anguish and physiological impact she suffered would certainly leave her scarred for the rest of her life,' he added.

The maximum sentence for using criminal force to molest a victim is 10 years in jail and 24 strokes of the cane. Tan escaped being caned as he is aged over 50.

- The Straits Times