Cricketer brothers Manrick Singh and Tekbinderpal Bhar sentenced in case involving minor girl

Manrick-SinghMANRICK Singh, 27, former Malaysian national cricketer who used to play for West Vancouver Cricket Club, received a 90-day conditional sentence order last week in North Vancouver, while his brother, Tekbinderpal Bhar, 20, was given a suspended sentence in a case involving a 13-year-old girl.

Singh, who was caught thanks to a Facebook security monitoring team for inappropriate sexual chat, pleaded guilty to a charge of Internet luring. The Surrey man received a term of house arrest and 18 months probation, the North Shore News reported.

Bhar pleaded guilty to sexual assault on the same victim and was put on probation.

Last May, North Shore News had reported that Bhar had been charged with sexual touching of a person under 16 between June 21 and August 11, 2012, in West Vancouver, while Singh faced a charge of Internet luring of a child under 16 during the same time frame. Singh also faced a charge of possession of child pornography.

According to information presented during the sentencing hearing, the girl asked during one sexual chat, “I’m almost 14. Is this illegal?” and Singh replied: “Yes it is. LOL. Don’t let anybody find out about this.”
Singh’s lawyer Michael Shapray said Singh is deeply remorseful, said the girl had tried to persuade Singh to meet in person a number of times but he refused and that he never asked her to send photos to him.

Bhar had sexual contact with the girl whom he met in a forested area of West Vancouver. Although the sexual contact was consensual and was stopped by Bhar after 10 or 15 minutes, Crown counsel Lindsay Heron noted that, however, was no excuse. Relationships with anyone under the age of 16 is against the law in order to protect young people “who have no judgment, little experience and make bad choices.”

Shapray said Bhar was extremely remorseful.

Judge Steven Merrick said he considered Bhar’s actions to be at the low end of such offences but noted that “children are vulnerable and need to be protected from adults who would take advantage of them” and that Bhar knew his behaviour was wrong.

Both the brothers have been placed on the national sexual offender registry for 10 years.