Minor sentenced to 1 year at juvenile centre for molesting underage girl

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a January Juvenile Court ruling sentencing a minor to one year at a juvenile detention centre after being convicted of molesting a minor in 2019. 

The Juvenile Court found the minor guilty of molesting a girl he met via social media on three different occasions and handed him three years in prison. 

However, the court decided to reduce the sentence to one year because the victim dropped charges against the defendant. 

Court papers said the two met via a social media application and started chatting for long periods. 

“The defendant then suggested that the two meet in person and the minor agreed,” according to court documents. 

The two met three times at the defendant’s home while his family was out of the house. 

“The defendant molested the victim during the three visits and in one instance filmed the encounter with his phone,” the court documents added. 

The defendant’s lawyer contested the sentence, arguing that his client should be freed because the victim dropped charges. 

“The defendant also got married to the victim and should be out to take care of her,” court transcripts said. 

However, the higher court ruled that the Juvenile Court had followed the proper procedures and the defendant deserved the verdict he received. 

The Court of Cassation judges were Mohammad Ibrahim, Naji Zu’bi, Yassin Abdullat, Hammad Ghzawi and Rizeq Abul Fool