21-year-old convicted of molesting teenage girl

AMMAN — The Criminal Court has sentenced a 21-year-old man to seven years in prison after convicting him of molesting a minor in Amman in November 2011.

The court declared the defendant guilty of molesting a 16-year-old girl after abducting her from City Mall on November 3 and handed him the maximum sentence.

Court papers said the defendant took the girl to a deserted area where he molested her.

“She screamed for help and bystanders helped her and alerted the police,” the court said.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges during his opening trial earlier this year.

The tribunal refused to reduce charges against the defendant because the victim was under 18.

The tribunal comprised judges Fawzi Nahar, Ibrahim Bawareed and Mohammad Udwan.

The Criminal Court prosecutor had asked the court to impose the maximum punishment on the defendant as stipulated by the law.

The verdict, which was issued by the tribunal at the end of last month, will automatically be reviewed by the Cassation Court.