Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on the Number of Offenders Who Committed Sexual Offences Against Young Children Spared From Caning Due to Age in the Past 10 Years

Question:

Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) over the past 10 years, how many offenders who committed serious crimes such as rape and sexual offences against young children have been spared from caning on account of their age; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider other factors, such as the offenders’ health condition, rather than age, to determine if someone is fit for caning for such serious crimes.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law:

1.   The data for the period of the last 10 years as requested by the Member is not readily available.

2.   Based on available data from January 2020 to July 2022, 70 male offenders above 50 years old at the time of sentencing were convicted in the State Courts of serious sexual and serious hurt offences which attracted the punishment of caning, such as rape, sexual assault, sexual penetration of minors, voluntarily causing grievous hurt, and culpable homicide. From January 2020 to 22 December 2022, there were 37 such offenders convicted in the High Court.

3.   For offenders who are not caned because they are above the statutory age limit for caning, the Court has the power to order an additional imprisonment term of up to 12 months in lieu of caning, to compensate for the lost deterrent and retributive effect of caning.

4.   On whether the Ministry of Home Affairs will consider other factors, rather than age, to determine if someone is fit for caning, I had addressed this earlier in the question raised by Mr Zhulkarnain.