High Court rejected claim of consent after finding victim was too intoxicated to agree to sex
A company director in Singapore has been sentenced to 14½ years in jail and 12 strokes of the cane after the High Court found that he raped a woman who was in a near-unconscious state after dinner and drinks.
Court hands down lengthy sentence
Jasper Lee Loong Kuan, now 37, was sentenced on March 20 to 14½ years’ jail and 12 strokes of the cane on one rape charge. He had earlier been convicted on Feb. 10 after a High Court trial.
Lee, who is the managing director of his company, denied the allegation and maintained that the sex had been consensual, or that he mistakenly believed the woman had consented. The court rejected both arguments.
Judge found victim could not consent
Justice Mavis Chionh found that the woman was in a state of near-unconsciousness at the time and clearly lacked the capacity to consent to sex. The prosecution had argued both that she lacked capacity because of alcohol intoxication and that she had not in fact consented.
In convicting Lee, the judge found the woman to be an honest witness whose account was internally consistent and supported by corroborative evidence. That evidence included medical findings and body-worn camera footage showing her in extreme distress as she told first responders she had been raped.
Dinner was followed by severe intoxication
Lee was a client of the company where the victim worked as a customer service officer. The two shared the same birthday and met for dinner at a VivoCity restaurant on Sept. 15, 2021, the first time they had met in person.
After drinking wine over dinner, the woman became heavily intoxicated. CCTV and in-car audio evidence showed signs including stumbling, disorientation, vomiting, and slurred speech while Lee drove her home. The court heard that she had to be physically supported as they entered her block and took the lift.
Evidence strongly supported the prosecution case
The victim testified that she drifted in and out of consciousness on her bed and, at one point, realized she was naked and Lee was on top of her. She tried to resist but was too weak and then lost consciousness again. Police later found her naked and crouched behind the door after she called for help.
Tests found Lee’s semen on swabs taken from her body. Her blood sample later showed 82mg of ethanol per 100ml, and the prosecution argued her blood alcohol concentration would have been close to 200mg per 100ml when she reached home. Expert evidence from the Institute of Mental Health supported the conclusion that her intoxication rendered her incapable of consenting to sex.
Judge criticized Lee’s testimony
Justice Chionh found Lee to be “a disingenuous and shifty witness prone to invention,” according to CNA’s report. The court said his evidence failed to raise a reasonable doubt. One example highlighted was his attempt to avoid answering questions about whether the woman could walk steadily until confronted with CCTV footage showing her stumbling.
Lee has indicated that he will appeal and was granted bail of S$100,000.
The case underscores how Singapore courts assess consent in situations involving severe intoxication, especially when medical evidence, video footage, and witness testimony point in the same direction. For Singaporeans, the ruling reinforces that intoxication can remove a person’s capacity to consent, and claims of consent will be closely tested against the evidence. For regional readers, including in Indonesia, it is also a reminder of how seriously Singapore treats sexual violence and how heavily courts weigh objective evidence in such cases.
Sources: Straits Times (2026) , Sammy Boy (2026)
Keywords: Jasper Lee Loong Kuan, Singapore rape case, intoxicated victim, High Court sentencing, consent defense rejected, VivoCity dinner case
