61-year-old man jailed for sexual assault on eight-year-old girl

KOTA KINABALU: The Sessions Court here today sentenced a 61-year-old man to nine years' jail for sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl last May.
Judge Ainul Shahrin Mohamad handed down the sentence on Madisin Sarabun, who pleaded guilty to the charge, made under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.
Madisin was ordered to serve the jail sentence from today, and after completing his jail time, to be placed under police probation for two years.
He was charged with touching the private part of a girl with his hand at a house in Kota Belud at about 12.40am last May 2.
In mitigation, the man said he had health problems and had an ailing mother, as well as a younger sister with disability to support.
Deputy public prosecutor Wan Farah Farriza Wan Ghazali, who prosecuted, said the court should take into account public interest and the offence committed by the accused was serious.
"The plea of guilt cannot be a mitigation factor in view of the gravity, seriousness and rampancy of the offence committed. The accused is 61-years- old at the time of the incident, committing a heinous act against the victim who is eight years old. The court should impose a deterrent sentence," she said. — Bernama