18 years preventive detention, 12 strokes for Indian origin in Singapore

Singapore: An Indian-origin repeat sex offender was sentenced to 18 years of preventive detention and 12 strokes for the sexual assault of a maid in Singapore, a media report said on Tuesday.

Preventive detention is imposed on recalcitrant offenders in order to protect the public from them.

Mark Kalaivanan Tamilarasan, 44, had contested and was convicted of four charges of aggravated sexual assault, house trespass to commit sexual assault, outrage of modesty and impersonation of a public servant, reported Channel News Asia.

Called a repeat sex offender, he had broken into a flat in July 2017 while intoxicated and attacked a maid who was ironing clothes, before sexually assaulting her.

This was shortly after being released from 16 years' of jail for rape charges.

Deputy Public Prosecutors Chew Xin Ying and Sheldon Lim had pushed for the maximum of 20 years' preventive detention for Kalaivanan, after a report found him suitable for such a punishment. However, at the last sentencing hearing in February, Kalaivanan's uncle had asked to address the court, before pleading in emotive language for the court to impose a gag order on his nephew's identity.

He also claimed that he had seen his nephew in prison and that he had shown remorse. On account of this, Justice Pang Khang Chau ordered for another preventive detention suitability report to be prepared before giving his sentence.

The second report had the same conclusions, and the prosecution maintained their position in asking for 20 years' preventive detention for Kalaivanan.

They objected to the defence's request for the sentence to be backdated to take into account Kalaivanan's six years in remand, saying that preventive detention was different from remand.

On Monday, Kalaivanan's uncle again asked to speak.

Defence lawyer Foo Ho Chew said his client is represented and anything should be said through legal counsel.