7-year jail term for man who molested teen schoolgirl

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a February Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to seven years in prison after convicting him of molesting a 14-year-old girl in Irbid in September 2017.

The court ruled that the defendant molested the victim while on her way back home from school on September 10 and handed him the maximum punishment.

Court documents said the victim was walking home from school and decided to take a shortcut.

“The victim walked in an alley where the defendant was present and he forced her to follow him to a small deserted area where he molested her,” the court said, adding that the victim returned home and informed her family about the incident.

The victim’s family filed a complaint and the defendant was arrested, the court added.

In its ruling, the Criminal Court said it relied on the victim’s testimony and the defendant’s own confession in front of the police and Criminal Court prosecutor.

The defendant did not appeal his seven-year verdict, the court stated. 

The Higher Court ruled that the Criminal Court followed the proper proceedings when sentencing the defendant, and that he deserves the verdict he received.

 The Court of Cassation judges were Mohammad Ibrahim, Naji Zubi, Yassin Abdullat, Majid Azab and Hamad Ghzawi.