Mario Antonio Di Dier, a 42-year-old Singaporean, was found guilty on Friday (Dec 13) of paying a 16-year-old girl for sex after a trial that highlighted the legal complexities surrounding age, consent, and commercial sexual transactions in the country.
Di Dier was convicted on five counts of engaging in commercial sex with the victim between December 2, 2021, and April 13, 2022. While the legal age of consent in Singapore is 16, the law prohibits commercial sex with individuals under 18.
The two met in November 2021 on Sugarbook, an online platform designed to connect “sugar daddies” with “sugar babies.” According to the website, users must be at least 18 years old to participate, raising questions about the platform’s accountability in cases involving minors.
STORY BEHIND
According to Channel News Asia, the situation came to light when the victim filed a police report in August 2022, disclosing that she had consensual sex with Di Dier, who compensated her afterward.
During the trial, Di Dier admitted to having sex with the girl but denied that he had paid her, claiming any money given was for friendship and to assist someone in financial distress.
The situation came to light when the victim filed a police report in August 2022, disclosing that she had consensual sex with Di Dier, who compensated her afterward.
The prosecution argued that prior to engaging in sexual activity, the victim informed Di Dier that she had joined Sugarbook to earn money and shared her rates for various sexual services. Di Dier accepted these terms, and they began a sexual relationship based on this understanding.
District Judge Ow Yong Tuck Leong described her as an “unusually convincing” witness, contrasting her credibility with that of Di Dier, which he found lacking.
Judge Ow Yong noted that during their initial meeting on December 2, 2021, the victim was paid S$300 for a sexual act, and similar payments were made during subsequent encounters.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Gladys Lim stated that the accused had previously engaged with multiple women on the platform, providing them with financial support for companionship that may have included sexual activities. He was aware that the victim was under 18 years of age.
Judge Ow Yong observed that Di Dier and the girl shared a mutual interest in caring for a cat that she brought along to one of their meetings.
Defense attorneys Mr. Nicolas Tang and Ms. Ashviniy Narenthiren used this shared interest to argue that the girl had contradicted herself by suggesting that her meetings with Di Dier were solely for monetary exchange for sex, as she acknowledged other motivations for their encounters, such as the cat.
However, the judge concluded that their shared interest in the cat did not alter the nature of their original “sugar” relationship.
The victim testified that she wished to continue the arrangement but that Di Dier had stopped meeting her, prompting her to report him to the authorities, the report added.
Judge Ow Yong rejected the defense’s assertion that the delay in filing the report indicated ulterior motives on her part, finding no evidence to support such claims.
In his ruling, Judge Ow Yong underscored the rationale behind legislation aimed at protecting young individuals from exploitation, highlighting the vulnerability of minors and the responsibility of adults to refrain from taking advantage of them. He pointed out that Di Dier had observed signs of self-harm on the victim, which further compounded his ethical obligation to avoid exploitation.
Di Dier is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on February 10, 2025. He faces potential penalties of up to seven years in prison, fines, or both for each count of engaging in commercial sex with a minor under 18.
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