Sex attacker avoids prison
3:15pm Wednesday 21st May 2008
A 32 year old Oldbury man who carried out two sex attacks on a schoolgirl 12 years ago has been spared jail.
Judge Michael Challinor told Mohammed Shaban it was more important he received supervision to reduce the likelihood of his reoffending. He told the father-of-three the offences clearly crossed the custody threshold but said the harm done to his victim, who was 13 at the time, was minimal.
Sentencing Shaban at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Tuesday, the Judge said: "Your culpability in the circumstances would have been very low."
Shaban, of Barker Street, admitted two charges of indecent assault going back to 1996 and was given a two year Community Rehabilitation Order.
The Judge further ruled he must pay £1,200 costs and concluded: "You must have endured considerable shame having to appear before a court."
Lee Marklew, prosecuting, said Shaban, who arrived in the United Kingdom in the 1990s, had kissed and fondled the schoolgirl.
He said she notified police because she wanted "justice" and stressed the offences had affected her confidence and left her feeling depressed and alone.
Nisharn Sidhu-Brar, defending, said Shaban, a man of previous good character, was ashamed and remorseful and it was clearly something he wanted to put behind him.