Court upholds jail sentence for man over sexual relationship with minor

AMMAN — The Cassation Court has upheld a December Criminal Court ruling, sentencing a man to seven years in prison for engaging in consensual sexual activities with a minor in one of the Kingdom's governorates.

The Criminal Court had handed the defendant a seven-year sentence after finding him guilty in engaging in sexual activities with a minor twice in July 2015.

Court papers said the defendant met with the victim, who was 16 at the time, four months before the incident and their relationship became physical.

The defendant then took the victim to a tribal leader to marry her, but the tribal leader called the police instead.

The defendant had contested the Criminal Court verdict, asking for a lower sentence, but the higher court said that the ruling was proper.

The Cassation Court panel comprised judges Mohammad Ababneh, Basil Abu Anzeh, Yassin Abdullat, Dawoud Tubeileh and Bassem Mubeidin.