A former SMRT bus driver, now 30, was sentenced to eight years’ jail and six strokes of the cane on 25 Jul 2025 for the statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl he met on his bus route.
The man pleaded guilty to one count of statutory rape at the State Courts. Six other charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.
All parties cannot be named due to a gag order protecting the victim’s identity.
Bus Driver Met Teenage ‘Bus Enthusiast’ Through Instagram Group
The relationship began in November 2021 when the man was 26 years old and working as a bus driver with SMRT.
The victim was a bus enthusiast who took his bus to school every morning. She had a keen interest in various types and models of buses.
The girl joined a bus interest group on Instagram in November 2021 and met the offender through the platform. They followed each other and began chatting daily.
After approximately one week of conversations, the bus driver asked the girl out on a date. She agreed because she had developed feelings for him.
The pair entered into a relationship that lasted until early 2022.
Sexual Encounters and ‘Bus Spotting’ Activities During Relationship
On 9 Dec 2021, the man rented a car and drove the girl to a multi-storey car park where they had sexual intercourse. He then drove her home.
Four other similar charges involving sexual encounters were taken into consideration during sentencing.
Throughout their relationship, the couple engaged in “bus spotting” activities. They visited bus stations together and took photographs of buses.
The pair met almost daily after the bus driver’s shift.
Police Report Filed After Aunts Notice Behavioural Changes
The relationship ended in early 2022.
Between February and April 2022, the victim’s aunts observed changes in her behaviour. When they spoke to her, she revealed that the offender had engaged in sexual activity with her in a rented car.
The aunts initially wanted to lodge a police report, but the girl pleaded with them not to take action.
The situation changed in June 2022 when the victim contacted one of her aunts and requested to be taken to a police station to file a report.
The victim’s mother was only informed about the incident one day before the police report was lodged.
Prosecutors sought a sentence of eight to nine years’ jail and six strokes of the cane. They acknowledged the offender’s early guilty plea, cooperation with investigations, and his relatively young age at the time of the offence.
The maximum penalty for statutory rape is 20 years’ jail, with fining or caning as additional punishments.
Would you be jailed for being half-naked in public? Well, the answer will shock you. Seriously. Watch this to the end and you'll understand:
