Man handed 7-year jail term for of sexually assaulting teenage girl

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a February Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to seven years in prison after convicting him of sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Amman in December 2021.

The defendant was convicted of sexually assaulting the 15-year-old victim in mid-December and the court handed him the maximum penalty.

Court papers said the victim and the defendant met each other at a local hospital where her mother worked.

“The two developed a relationship and decided to engage in sexual activities,” according to court transcripts. 

Two months later, the court maintained, the victim became sick and when she was in the hospital “she notified one of the nurses about the sexual encounter with the defendant”.

“The nurse notified the authorities and the Family Protection Department was notified about the incident,” according to the court papers.

The defendant contested the Criminal Court’s ruling through his lawyer, charging that the prosecution failed to provide “solid evidence” in the case.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Court’s general attorney asked the higher court to uphold the verdict against the defendant.

The Court of Cassation ruled that the verdict was correct and the defendant deserved the ruling he had received. 

The Cassation Court comprised judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Majid Azab, Hayel Amr, Fawzi Nahar and Qassem Dughmi.