One of the youths started acting like a ghost. Another accomplice then ordered the victim to perform sex acts on them. She refused at first, but gave in after they threatened her.
The court heard that the girl was first targeted in early 2008 after she rejected one of the boys.
Their ringleader then decided to get his revenge. Telling his friends that he had seen people being possessed by 'Chinese gods' during temple visits, he suggested that they all pretend to have been taken over by spirits.
On one occasion, he used joss sticks to burn off a tattoo on an accomplice's finger to convince the girl and a friend that they were truly in the grip of gods.
A few months after the attack on the staircase landing, the victim sought professional help to deal with her depression, anxiety and insomnia, Deputy Public Prosecutor Kavita Uthrapathy told the court.
A Child Guidance Clinic psychiatrist found that she suffered from mood swings. She remains depressed, and experienced suicidal thoughts up until July 2010. The victim, who is now 18, cannot even tolerate hearing the four boys' names, said Uthrapathy.
Pleading for leniency, defence lawyer Lee Teck Leng said that his client, who had earlier admitted his guilt, may have committed the offence because his IQ is just 73 - far below the average of 90 to 100.
He added that he did not plan or lead the attack, but was a mere follower who had been led astray by others.
"He was always acting on instructions, and his low IQ did not allow him to fully appreciate the stupidity and seriousness of what he was being asked to do," said Lee.
He told the court that his client, who has a quiet temperament, had suffered due to the 2 1/2-year delay before he was charged.
On Tuesday, the teenage boy's parents signed a S$5,000 (RM12,000) bond to ensure his good behaviour. He could have been jailed for up to 20 years, fined or caned.
The ringleader, who is now 17, and another 18-year-old accomplice have also pleaded guilty. They are waiting to be sentenced.
The fourth boy, aged 16, has been placed on 21 months of probation and ordered to spend three months at the Singapore Boys' Home. (The Straits Times/ANN)
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