FOR more than seven years, from when she was eight, a girl was sexually abused over and over by a temple medium whom her parents regarded as a close family friend. He was a 'spiritual adviser' to the child's father, who was also a temple medium.

They trusted him so much that they let him sleep in their flat on many occasions, during which time he would abuse the child.

On Friday, the man, now 59, admitted to multiple charges of sexually abusing the girl, now 16 years old, and was jailed for 24 years. Married with four children aged 18 to 23, he will not be caned as he is above the age of 50. Looking skinny and dishevelled in court, the former coffee shop assistant faced 44 charges for offences dating from January 2001 to May last year.

Because of the years of continual abuse, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Gordon Oh, the child had grown into a teenager who hated herself, mutilated her body and was promiscuous. 'That the victim's own mother would unwittingly send her own daughter into the lion's den was only possible because the accused had shamelessly betrayed the trust bestowed upon him by the victim's family,' said the prosecutor.

The High Court heard that the girl's father and the man got to know each other in 2000, when they were mediums in a Chinese temple and also did odd jobs for the same employer. He became a close family friend - called 'uncle' by the victim and her three younger sisters - and was regularly invited to sleep over at the family's four-room flat.

In early 2001, while he was watching TV with the girl and her younger sister, he began stroking the younger girl's leg. When she moved away, he turned his attention to the victim, who responded by hugging him. The touching became more frequent and one night, he took her into the study where he slept and raped her. No one heard her cries and he told her not to tell anyone about it. He carried on raping her at her parents' flat.

After the couple divorced in 2004, the girl moved into a rented flat with her mother. But her rapist remained in her life when her mother let him babysit her while she worked. Her three other sisters lived with their father.

By 2006, the rapist was having the teenager stay in his flat during the school holidays. If she refused to go over when he summoned her, he would have her mother send her.

The abuse came to light a few months later, in July, when the girl confided in an aunt. It was only then that her parents learnt of her ordeal. They went with her the next day to make a police report.

On Friday, the man pleaded for leniency, saying he was remorseful and in anguish every day. He pleaded guilty to five counts of rape, one count of committing an indecent act on a child, one count of sodomy and two counts of sexual assault of a minor. The rest of the charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

Spiritual man, MY ASS. What kind of loser would do such a thing. It annoys me to know that such thing STILL happens in Singapore despite it being so.. well developed.

I don't entirely agree with what the court did to him though. He definitely deserved a higher sentence. Apart from destroying someone's life (which he'll never EVER be able to pay back for), he calls himself a 'SPIRITUAL MAN'.

Urgh I don't know. The entire religion should be ashamed for having such a man believing their beliefs.

Wait. In fact, he doesn't deserve to be called a MAN.

He's an ANIMAL.

If I see anyone of these people, oh boy are they are gonna die.

I think I'll gather some people who strongly believes that this is wrong and we'll suggest to the court on how to torture them D:

Ok this sounds mean. You know what. The court should just cane that guy. I mean, if you don't just because he's over 50, he might not handle it blahblah, then what. Doesn't that mean it's unfair?

I'm pretty sure many people fear the cane but gees. If they get rid of the cane and use a lighter sentence, then won't it encourage men below 50 to wait till they're above 50 and then do outrages things and not get caned?

You know what I think?

I think I'll cane men who are older than 50 even more than younger men.

Seriously.

If they're doing it the proper way, uh. Doing it with their wives or in geylang or whatever, I don't care.

Doing it with young kids is just wrong.

That man doesn't even deserve the trust of that poor girl's parents.

He definitely deserved at least 20 canes.

Even if he dies during the process, he deserved it cause he can NEVER, EVER pay for that girl's loss.

NEVER.