A 20-year-old former homestay housekeeper has been handed a six-month suspended sentence for assault.
The offender was initially charged with one count of assault and one of rape.
The sentence was delivered on November 11 by Justice Sunil Sharma at the High Court in Lautoka following the offender’s guilty plea. He denied a separate charge of rape.
The incident occurred on July 6 at Waya Lailai, Yasawa.
Justice Sharma cited several aggravating factors, including a gross breach of privacy, the offender being “undeterred, the prevalence of the offence and compromising the victim’s safety.
The offender’s lawyer submitted that his client promised not to reoffend, willing to reform, had sought forgiveness from the complainant and is the sole breadwinner in his family.
Justice Sharma noted the offender had spent 28 days in remand before sentence.
