HCMC man jailed for raping 8-year-old neighbor

The HCMC People’s Court on Wednesday handed down a prison sentence to Nguyen Van Sinh, 44, accusing him of “rape of a person under the age of 16.”

The court also asked him to compensate the victim’s family with VND23 million (US$905) for the “mental damage” he caused.

According to the verdict, Sinh rented a room in a guesthouse in Thu Duc town, where he lived with his wife and son.

On April 21 last year, the girl who also lived at the boarding house came to his room while he was home alone.

He raped her then sent her home.

Two days later, the child told his father. The family reported Sinh.

He initially admitted to the crime when questioned by police.

However, during the investigation and even in court, he repeatedly denied this, retracting his initial confession.

Yet police and the jury said all the evidence and forensic findings confirmed he was the perpetrator. The judge considered his actions “particularly serious”, justifying a severe sentence.