A man convicted of sexually assaulting a bride the morning after his friend’s wedding was sentenced to seven years in prison and six strokes of the cane.
The 42-year-old accused, who served as the best man of his friend in 2016, entered the room to molest and sexually assault the bride while she was sleeping alone in a hotel suite.
The victim mistakenly thought the other party was her husband. After discovering the truth, she walked out of the bedroom and found her sleeping husband in the living room of the suite. She then exposed the accused’s evil deeds, drove him out, and then called the police.
The accused claimed that he thought he was at home that day and mistook the bride for his wife. He also denied sexually assaulting the bride. However, the judge found that the accused’s testimony was not credible, and the events described were inconsistent with the testimony he provided to the police.
In handing down the sentence, Principal District Judge Victor Yeo said there was also a certain level of deception, as the woman had initially thought that the person touching her was her husband.
Judge Yeo had earlier convicted the man of one count each of molestation and sexually penetrating the woman without her consent.
The offender, who was the groom’s friend, cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the victim’s identity.
The prosecution said the accused had been jailed for three months in 2002 for displaying or sending lewd videos.
The accused’s lawyer said his client intends to appeal the conviction and sentence. His bail was then set at $30,000.
For molestation, an offender can be jailed for up to two years and fined or caned. For sexually penetrating a person without consent, an offender can be jailed for up to 20 years and fined or caned.
As for the newlyweds in the case, the two who have been in love for 11 years have already divorced after the incident.
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