Man, 85, fined for molesting 16-year-old girl in Penang

GEORGE TOWN, Penang – An 85-year-old man was fined RM4,000 (S$1,252) by the Magistrate’s Court in Malaysia’s George Town after pleading guilty to using criminal force against a 16-year-old girl with the intention of outraging her modesty.Yong Lip Fook pleaded guilty after the charge was read to him in Mandarin through an interpreter before magistrate Nadratun Naim on Sept 24.The offence was committed at about 4pm on Sept 17 in a lift at the Wayton Flats in Paya Terubong, Air Itam, according to the charge.Yong was charged under Section 354 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of 10 years, or a fine, whipping or any two of the punishments upon conviction.Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Danial Amir Saad urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence.Defence counsel Sharmila Shanthini Mogan, in mitigation, said Yong was married, unemployed and supported by his son.She said he had no previous criminal record and had assured the court that he would not repeat the offence.“He has diabetes, high blood pressure and a heart condition,” she said.Nadratun then fined Yong RM4,000, in default eight months’ imprisonment, which was paid by his son. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK