8-year jail term for barber who molested Syrian boy

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a February Criminal Court ruling sentencing a barber to 8 years in prison after convicting him of molesting a 10-year-old Syrian boy in his shop in Irbid in November 2017.

The court ruled that the defendant molested the victim after cutting his hair on November 19 and handed him the maximum punishment.

Court documents said the victim decided to cut his hair and went to the defendant’s shop.

“The defendant lured the victim into an isolated area behind his shop where he molested him,” the court said.

 The victim cried and shouted then ran towards a supermarket and “told the shop owner that the barber had molested him,” the court said.

The boy informed his family who notified the police, the court said, adding that “the victim was able to identify the defendant through a police lineup”. 

The defendant contested the ruling, arguing that the court relied only on the testimony of the victim and another child who was with him.

However, the higher court ruled that the Criminal Court followed the proper proceedings when sentencing and that the defendant deserved the verdict he received.

The Court of Cassation judges were Mohammad Ibrahim, Naji Zubi, Yassin Abdullat, Bassem Mubeidin and Majid Azab.