Hawke’s Bay director Parminder Singh jailed for more than 14 years for exploiting, raping workers

A Vietnamese woman was manipulated and "trapped" into doing what her employer wanted for two months. Photo / 123RF

This story deals with the subject of sexual exploitation and rape and may be upsetting for some readers.

An employer raped two vulnerable foreign workers after manipulating and “trapping” one of them, and drugging the other.

Parminder Singh, 46, is now facing a jail term of more than 14 years, with no prospect of parole before 2032.

“His actions have harmed me in ways I never imagined possible,” one of his female victims said in a statement, parts of which were read to the Napier District Court today.

That woman, a Vietnamese national described as half Singh’s age, had been coerced, controlled and manipulated by her employer into doing what he wanted for weeks.

“For two months she did not believe she could escape,” Crown prosecutor Clayton Walker told the court.

Singh was earlier found guilty by a jury on four charges of raping that woman, and one charge of unlawful sexual connection with her.

He was also found guilty of stupefying and raping another foreign worker, a South American woman who collapsed in the shower after he put something in her drink.

Singh, the director of a labour supply company for the horticultural industry, was found guilty of Immigration Act charges of exploiting both women as temporary workers in New Zealand.

But he escaped having to face human trafficking charges, after the Solicitor-General declined a police request to prosecute him for that offence, based on the strength of the evidence against him.

Singh’s counsel, David Reece, said his client did not accept the guilty verdicts, and would be pursuing an appeal against his convictions.

At the time he offended against the women, Singh was the director of the company Work Force J&B Ltd, which supplies workers to the horticultural industry.

The Vietnamese woman arrived in New Zealand in 2023 and initially worked for an employer in Auckland, but had difficulties there.

Wanted a sexual relationship

Singh offered to employ her for her language and bookkeeping skills but “you also wanted to pursue a sexual relationship with her”, Judge Richard Earwaker told Singh in court.

Singh drove the woman to Hastings in a van with her aunt and other workers, but once he got there, separated her from her relative and took her to a motor lodge.

The woman thought she was going to Hastings to work, but it soon became apparent to her that Singh wanted a sexual relationship with her and had deceived her about offering paid employment.

For the next two months, between September and November 2023, she was kept financially dependent on Singh, who took her around with him, manipulated her and made her do his bidding.

During that time he raped her four times and forced her to do another sexual act on a fifth occasion.

He lied to her that he worked undercover with the police and knew high-powered people in the police force and Immigration NZ.

Parminder Singh was sentenced in the Napier District Court. Photo / NZME

He threatened to dismiss or evict other Vietnamese workers if she tried to leave him or refused to comply with his directions.

He gave her $10,000 to settle an earlier debt, but told her she would be forced to repay it before she could leave his service.

Eventually the woman escaped from Singh with the help of another migrant worker, who contacted a lawyer who arranged help. She eventually laid a complaint with police.

Before then, however, Singh had met the South American woman, who had limited English, in a hostel and told her he could arrange a work visa.

He took her to where he was staying with the Vietnamese victim, and invited her to have a drink with him.

Judge Earwaker said Singh put something in the woman’s drink and she felt as if she were about to pass out.

She fell down in the bathroom after having a shower.

Singh put a towel around her and put her on a bed, where he raped her.

Previous conviction for sexual assault

Singh migrated to New Zealand from India in 1998, when he was in his late teens, and has since gained permanent residency.

He has previous convictions including for assault, wounding with intent, and indecent assault.

Judge Earwaker said the community needed protection from Singh.

He sentenced him to 14 years and two months in prison, with no prospect of parole for seven years.

Ric Stevens spent many years working for the former NZ Press Association news agency, including as a political reporter at Parliament, before holding senior positions at various daily newspapers. He joined NZME’s Open Justice team in 2022 and is based in Hawke’s Bay. His writing in the crime and justice sphere is informed by four years of front-line experience as a probation officer.