Accused the first to receive probation for paid sex with minor

A 22-year-old man who had paid sex with a 17-year-old girl from China was given 18 months’ probation. Yap Jun Hao is the first accused to get probation for such an offence, but the prosecution said this should not set a precedent for future cases.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sharmila Sripathy-Shanaz said that given the nature and gravity of the offence, the prosecution’s position has been and continues to be that a jail sentence is warranted if an accused engages in commercial sex with a minor.