s 376E Sexual grooming of minor below 16 years of age
376E.—(1) Any person of or above 18 years of age (A) shall be guilty of an offence if having met or communicated with another person (B) on at least one previous occasion —(a) any of the following acts takes place:(i) A intentionally meets B in Singapore; (ii) A travels in Singapore with the intention of meeting B in Singapore; (iii) A travels from a location in Singapore with the intention of meeting B outside Singapore; (iv) B travels in Singapore to attend a meeting with A in Singapore which A has either initiated or agreed to whether expressly or by implication; (v) B travels from a location in Singapore to attend a meeting with A outside Singapore which A has either initiated or agreed to whether expressly or by implication; and[Act 21 of 2025 wef 17/08/2026] (b) at the time of the acts referred to in paragraph (a) —(i) A intends, during or after the meeting —(A) to do (in Singapore) anything to or in respect of B which will involve the commission by A of a relevant offence; or (B) to do (outside Singapore) anything to or in respect of B which would, if done in Singapore, involve the commission by A of a relevant offence;[Act 21 of 2025 wef 17/08/2026] (ii) B is below 16 years of age; and (iii) A does not reasonably believe that B is of or above 16 years of age.[15/2019] (2) In subsection (1), “relevant offence” means an offence under —(a) section 354, 354A, 355, 372, 373, 373A, 375, 376, 376A, 376B, 376C, 376EB, 376ED, 376F, 376H, 377(1)(e), (f), (g) or (h), 377B(3), 377BA, 377BB, 377BF, 377BG or 377BH;[Act 23 of 2021 wef 01/03/2022] [Act 39 of 2022 wef 03/01/2023] (b) section 8 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1993; or (c) section 140(1) of the Women’s Charter 1961.[15/2019] (3) For the purposes of this section, it is immaterial whether the previous occasion of A having met or communicated with B referred to in subsection (1) took place in or outside Singapore.[15/2019] (4) A person who is guilty of an offence under this section shall on conviction —(a) in the case where the offence is committed against a victim who is below 14 years of age and A does not reasonably believe that B is of or above that age, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 7 years, or with fine, or with both; or[Act 21 of 2025 wef 17/08/2026] (b) in any other case, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 5 years, or with fine, or with both.[15/2019] [Act 21 of 2025 wef 17/08/2026] —(1) Any person of or above 18 years of age (A) shall be guilty of an offence if having met or communicated with another person (B) on at least one previous occasion —(a) any of the following acts takes place:(i) A intentionally meets B in Singapore; (ii) A travels in Singapore with the intention of meeting B in Singapore; (iii) A travels from a location in Singapore with the intention of meeting B outside Singapore; (iv) B travels in Singapore to attend a meeting with A in Singapore which A has either initiated or agreed to whether expressly or by implication; (v) B travels from a location in Singapore to attend a meeting with A outside Singapore which A has either initiated or agreed to whether expressly or by implication; and[Act 21 of 2025 wef 17/08/2026] (b) at the time of the acts referred to in paragraph (a) —(i) A intends, during or after the meeting —(A) to do (in Singapore) anything to or in respect of B which will involve the commission by A of a relevant offence; or (B) to do (outside Singapore) anything to or in respect of B which would, if done in Singapore, involve the commission by A of a relevant offence;[Act 21 of 2025 wef 17/08/2026] (ii) B is below 16 years of age; and (iii) A does not reasonably believe that B is of or above 16 years of age.[15/2019] (2) In subsection (1), “relevant offence” means an offence under —(a) section 354, 354A, 355, 372, 373, 373A, 375, 376, 376A, 376B, 376C, 376EB, 376ED, 376F, 376H, 377(1)(e), (f), (g) or (h), 377B(3), 377BA, 377BB, 377BF, 377BG or 377BH;[Act 23 of 2021 wef 01/03/2022] [Act 39 of 2022 wef 03/01/2023] (b) section 8 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1993; or (c) section 140(1) of the Women’s Charter 1961.[15/2019] (3) For the purposes of this section, it is immaterial whether the previous occasion of A having met or communicated with B referred to in subsection (1) took place in or outside Singapore.[15/2019] (4) A person who is guilty of an offence under this section shall on conviction —(a) in the case where the offence is committed against a victim who is below 14 years of age and A does not reasonably believe that B is of or above that age, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 7 years, or with fine, or with both; or[Act 21 of 2025 wef 17/08/2026] (b) in any other case, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 5 years, or with fine, or with both.[15/2019] [Act 21 of 2025 wef 17/08/2026]