MUAR: Sessions Court Judge Abu Bakar Manat questioned a 19-year-old defendant's actions before sentencing him today for sexually assaulting a student the same age as his sister.
"Based on your social reports, you have a sibling the same age as the victim. Why did you do that? You should have thought of her as your own sister," Judge Manat said before ordering the teenager to be sent to Henry Gurney School in Melaka.
The teenager pleaded guilty to physical sexual assault of a newly-acquainted student at a hotel here in May.
The accused, a former paint shop worker, had initially faced three similar charges but confessed to only one after the charges were reread by an interpreter.
Before handing down the sentence, Abu Bakar also said that the accused should have helped the victim who at that time wanted to run away from home, instead of manipulating her and taking advantage of the situation.
"According to the facts of the case and the social report, the court found that you had just known the victim but then acted in that manner.
The charges allege that the defendant committed the assault at a hotel in Sungai Abong at 5.30am on May 23.
He is charged under Sections 14(a) and 14(d) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and caning for each charge.
The defendant and the victim, both from Melaka, reportedly met through a friend. The defendant allegedly rented a hotel room to commit the assault.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Danial Munir handled the prosecution, while the defendant was not represented by a lawyer.
After considering the prosecution and defense arguments, the court sentenced the defendant to Henry Gurney School until he turns 21 and ordered him to undergo one year of police supervision upon completing his sentence.