Penal Code 1871 - Singapore Statutes Online

Sexual grooming of minor below 16 years of age

376E.—(1) Any person of or above 18 years of age (A) shall be guilty of an offence if having met or communicated with another person (B) on at least one previous occasion —

(a)

A intentionally meets B or travels with the intention of meeting B or B travels to attend a meeting with A which A has either initiated or agreed to whether expressly or by implication; and

(b)

at the time of the acts referred to in paragraph (a) —

(i)	A intends to do anything to or in respect of B, during or after the meeting, which if done will involve the commission by A of a relevant offence;
(ii)	B is below 16 years of age; and
(iii)	A does not reasonably believe that B is of or above 16 years of age. [15/2019]

(2) In subsection (1), “relevant offence” means an offence under —

(a)	section 354, 354A, 355, 372, 373, 373A, 375, 376, 376A, 376B, 376C, 376EB, 376ED, 376F, 376H, 377(1)(e), (f), (g) or (h), 377B(3), 377BA, 377BB, 377BF, 377BG or 377BH; [Act 23 of 2021 wef 01/03/2022] [Act 39 of 2022 wef 03/01/2023]
(b)	section 8 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1993; or
(c)	section 140(1) of the Women’s Charter 1961. [15/2019]

(3) For the purposes of this section, it is immaterial whether the previous occasion of A having met or communicated with B referred to in subsection (1) took place in or outside Singapore.

[15/2019]

(4) A person who is guilty of an offence under this section shall on conviction —

(a)	in the case where the offence is committed against a victim who is below 14 years of age and A does not reasonably believe that B is of or above that age, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 4 years, or with fine, or with both; or
(b)	in any other case, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 3 years, or with fine, or with both. [15/2019]

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