2-10-2023 (SINGAPORE) A man who had evaded capture for eight years after sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl in 2014 has finally been brought to justice. Lau Seng Kee, 60, was sentenced to 11 years in jail by the High Court after pleading guilty to a charge of sexual assault by penetration. The incident took place at a staircase landing in Pasir Ris, where Lau lured the victim away from her sister and the family’s domestic worker.
The victim’s father had made a police report at the time, and Lau’s DNA was found on the victim’s T-shirt. However, the case had gone cold, and Lau continued to target primary school girls in uniform in the Pasir Ris area.
In 2022, Lau was finally apprehended when the father of a nine-year-old girl called the police after confronting Lau for offering to buy ice cream for his daughter. A cleaner also came forward, informing the officers that Lau had performed an obscene act in the presence of another girl a few weeks prior.
Lau’s DNA profile, obtained after his arrest, matched a profile stored in the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) database from the 2014 case. On Monday, he was sentenced to 11 years in jail, which included a six-month term in lieu of caning as he is above the age of 50.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jean Goh recounted the 2014 incident, stating that Lau had enticed the victim to follow him up the stairs while she was playing hide-and-seek with her sister. At the staircase landing, Lau exposed himself and coerced the victim into performing a sexual act before leaving the scene.
The victim confided in her sister about the incident and later informed her father, who promptly made a police report. Despite extensive investigations, no actionable leads were established, and the case went cold until Lau’s arrest in 2022.
During sentencing, the prosecutor highlighted the lasting impact of Lau’s actions on the victim, who experienced recurring thoughts about the traumatic encounter. The prosecutor sought a jail term of 10 to 12 years, emphasizing the significant unease caused to the public, especially parents who should feel safe allowing their children to play in residential areas without fear of sexual assault.
