Kota Kinabalu: A 42-year-old Filipino was jailed and given a stroke of the cane for committing physical sexual harassment against a 14-year-old girl.
Session Court Judge Noor Hafizah Mohd Salim handed the sentence to Paring Hashim after he admitted to the charge against him on Tuesday.
Paring committed the offence against the girl by taking off her clothes, kissing her cheeks and mouth and fondling her private parts.
The offence took place at 2pm on Jan 15 this year at a living room of a house in Kg Numbak, Manggatal.
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During mitigation, Paring, who was not represented, asked for leniency and wanted the sentence to be run from the date of his arrest.
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Shafeerah Mad Iskim urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence as not only to serve a lesson to Paring but also public at large.
She further submitted that a deterrent sentence also could act to curb the frequency of sex exploitation on young girls.
“This is a serious sexual offence which also a threat to social wellbeing of a country,” said Nurul.
The court ordered Paring to be referred to the Immigration Department after serving the jail sentence.
The court heard that the incident happened while the victim was sleeping alone at the house as her other siblings went to visit their grandmother.
Paring entered the house as the door was opened and approached the victim who was sleeping at the dining room.
He then took off the victim’s clothes, kissed her mouth and cheeks and fondled her private parts.
Paring’s act awakened the victim who shouted causing Paring to run away from the house immediately.
A police report led to Paring’s arrest thereafter.
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