Why did the judge view payment as an aggravating factor?

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Payment for Sex with a Minor Considered an Aggravating Factor in Statutory Rape Cases

The judge determined that payment for sexual acts with a minor constitutes an aggravating factor, rather than a mitigating one, in cases of statutory rape. This perspective was articulated by Justice Andre Maniam during the sentencing of a 28-year-old former waiter who admitted to raping three 13-year-old girls. The judge rejected the defence's contention that the transactional nature of the abuse lessened the accused's culpability.
Judicial Stance on Financial Transactions in Statutory Rape

Justice Andre Maniam explicitly stated that the act of paying for sex with a minor elevates the severity of the crime in statutory rape offences. This ruling countered the defence's argument that the payment indicated a lesser degree of culpability on the part of the accused, Edmund Tan Shi Hui. Instead, the court viewed such payments as an exacerbating element in the context of statutory rape.
Details of the Offences and Sentencing

Edmund Tan Shi Hui was sentenced to 25½ years in prison and 24 strokes of the cane for admitting to statutory rape charges involving three victims, all 13 years old at the time of the offences. The crimes occurred over more than a year, with Tan engaging in penetrative sex with the girls on eight occasions. He paid between S$100 and S$500 for these encounters, which were facilitated through online platforms. Tan pleaded guilty to six charges of statutory rape, with an additional ten charges taken into consideration during sentencing.
Circumstances of Encounters with Victims

The encounters involved victims met through platforms like Telegram and video-conferencing apps. In one instance, the first victim, who had falsely advertised her age, met Tan multiple times after their initial paid encounter in March 2022. Another victim, met through a video-conferencing app in September 2022, falsely claimed to be 14. The third victim, contacted in July 2023, revealed she was 13 and still attending school before agreeing to meet Tan, who paid her S$500 for sex.

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Why did the judge view payment as an aggravating factor?

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