Deaf and mute man jailed for sexual offences, theft

SINGAPORE: A deaf and mute man, who sodomised a 12—year—old boy at a staircase landing, has been sentenced to 10 years in jail.

But 47—year—old Juma’at Tahir was spared the cane because of his mental disability.

The unemployed man was found guilty on Friday of two counts of sexual offences, and three counts of theft.

Seven other charges, including theft and possessing obscene films were taken into consideration.

In 2009, Juma’at approached the boy and signalled him to follow him to the upper floors of a block in Geylang Bahru.

The boy, who was playing a game on his Sony PSP at that time, followed Juma’at up unsuspectingly.

When they reached the staircase landing, Juma’at told the boy to turn around and face the metal railing of the staircase.

While the boy was playing a handheld game, Juma’at grabbed the boy’s shorts and underwear from behind.

The boy struggled to move away but Juma’at restrained him and forced unprotected sex onto the boy.

On another occasion in 2011, Juma’at sexually assaulted a nine—year—old boy inside a lift. Juma’at grabbed the boy’s hand and placed it on his groin.

Investigations revealed that Juma’at also stole three bicycles at HDB blocks, worth between $130 and $460. Along with his older brother who has been sentenced previously, Juma’at used a cutter to cut the chains securing bicycles.

While noting Juma’at’s "mild intellectual disability, District Judge Roy Neighbour pointed out that it did not exclude him for being culpable for his actions as he "displayed predatory behaviour especially with regard to little boys."

The judge also highlighted that the "long term psychological harm to the victims cannot be dismissed."

— CNA/de