A 70-year-old man has been sentenced to 42 months in prison for indecently assaulting a young woman and breaching his bail conditions, with the court highlighting the significant 47-year age gap between the accused and the victim as an aggravating factor.
The accused, who appeared unrepresented before the Ba Magistrates’ Court, was convicted on three counts of indecent assault and one count of breach of bail.
The offences took place on June 13, 2022, while the man was at the victim’s home for repair work.
The man is alleged to have kissed and touched the victim while repairing a stove.
Resident Magistrate Namarata Mishra in delivering the sentence on September 5, 2025, noted that the accused had breached a previous bail condition not to re-offend. He had been out on bail at the time for a separate charge involving intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
“The court finds the objective seriousness of this crime to be high,” Magistrate Mishra said.
“There was a significant disparity in age – almost 47 years – and a gross breach of trust. The complainant is still suffering the consequences of your actions.”
The court emphasised deterrence as the key purpose of the sentence, stating that such crimes must be denounced to protect the community, particularly vulnerable individuals.
