Youth jailed six months for hugging minor

PUTRAJAYA: A cake shop assistant was jailed six months by the special Sessions Court for child sexual crimes for having physical contact with a 15-year-old female secondary school student last month.

Mohd Nazrin Rabuan, 21, was sentenced under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.

Judge Yong Zarida Sazali meted out the sentence after Mohd Nazrin pleaded guilty to the charge.

She ordered the sentence to run from July 31, the day the accused was arrested.

Mohd Rabuan was accused of having physical contact by hugging the girl from behind at a hotel in Bandar Puteri Puchong, Puchong, between 3am and 5am on July 20.

He was charged under Section 14(d) of the Act which carries a jail sentence of not more than 20 years and is also liable to a fine upon conviction.

In mitigation, Mohd Nazrin who was not represented, regretted his action and apologised to the court.

Based on the statement of facts, the girl went to the hotel for an overnight stay with the accused's friend, whom she knew via WeChat, and the accused last week.

At about 3am, the victim cried and asked the accused to send her home but instead, he hugged her from behind.

In a separate development, the father of a four-year-old girl who allegedly abused the child while under his care, has been remanded seven days to facilitate investiga- tions under the Section 31(1) of the Child Act 2001.

“The suspect, who is a retired government worker, surrendered himself at the Jitra police station at 1pm yesterday,” Kubang Pasu district police chief Supt Mohd Ismail Ibrahim said when contacted by Bernama.

A doctor found old scars and superficial ulcers on the child’s body when the girl, after falling ill, was taken to see the doctor by her 25-year-old mother.