Chinese PhD Student Gets Longer Jail Term After Failed Appeal in Attempted Rape Case
A 32-year-old Chinese national who was convicted of attempting to rape his former flatmate in Singapore has received a longer jail sentence after the Court of Appeal dismissed his challenge and found that his conduct during the appeal process amounted to an abuse of court procedures.
The court increased Gao Xiong’s sentence from six years, six months and six weeks to seven years, seven months and six weeks in prison. He will also receive three strokes of the cane.
Gao, who was pursuing a PhD at the time of the offences, had previously pleaded guilty to one count of attempted rape and three counts of criminal trespass.
Court Rejects Claims Over Guilty Plea
During an appeal hearing in May 2026, Gao represented himself and argued that he had been confused when he entered his guilty plea. He also claimed he was not given a proper opportunity to address the court.
In addition, Gao attempted to shift responsibility onto the victim and suggested that another flatmate who intervened during the incident had prevented him from apologising.
However, the Court of Appeal rejected his arguments. The three-judge panel, led by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon alongside Justice Tay Yong Kwang and Justice Hri Kumar Nair, found no merit in his claims.
The judges noted that Gao had legal representation, access to an interpreter and sufficient opportunities to understand the charges before entering his guilty plea. Court records also showed that proceedings were paused at one stage to allow him additional consultation with his lawyer.
The court further observed that Gao displayed a complete lack of remorse and failed to acknowledge the seriousness of his actions.
Forced Entry Into Former Flatmate’s Room
The offences occurred in October 2023.
Gao and the victim, a 22-year-old Chinese student studying in Singapore, had previously rented separate rooms in the same condominium unit.
After moving out, Gao repeatedly contacted the woman and asked her out. Despite being rejected several times and told to stop messaging her, he continued to pursue her.
On Oct. 8, 2023, he returned to the condominium in an attempt to meet her. The woman called the police, prompting officers to attend the scene. Gao left when police arrived but spent the night at a nearby bus stop and continued sending messages to the victim.
The following evening, he returned to the condominium after gaining entry through another tenant.
According to court findings, Gao approached the victim’s bedroom and claimed he had left a bank card behind. He also apologised for his previous messages.
When the woman attempted to close the door and threatened to call the police, Gao forced his way into the room. He pushed her to the floor and attempted to remove parts of her clothing.
The situation was interrupted when another tenant heard the victim’s screams and intervened, pulling Gao out of the room before the attack could progress further.
Additional Offences Committed While on Bail
After being charged in October 2023, Gao was released on bail in May 2024.
Despite facing serious charges, he later committed further trespass-related offences.
Court documents showed that he returned to the condominium on two separate occasions while on bail, attempting to persuade the victim to withdraw her allegations or provide contact details.
In another incident, Gao ignored a restricted-access notice at the State Courts and entered a judge’s chambers while insisting on speaking directly to the judge handling his case.
His bail was eventually revoked after his bailor withdrew support, leading to his remand.
New Sentencing Framework Introduced
The case has also become significant for legal reasons beyond Gao’s conviction.
In its written judgment, the Court of Appeal introduced a new three-stage sentencing framework for criminal attempt offences.
Under the framework, judges will first assess how far an offender progressed towards committing the intended crime before determining a starting sentence. They will then consider whether any reduction is warranted based on whether the offender voluntarily abandoned the offence or was stopped by outside intervention.
Finally, courts will evaluate aggravating and mitigating factors unique to each offender before arriving at the final sentence.
The ruling marks the first major case before Singapore’s highest court involving an attempted offence since amendments to the Penal Code removed the previous rule that generally capped punishments for attempted crimes at half the maximum sentence for completed offences.