KUCHING: A 14-year-old teenager was ordered by the Magistrates’ Court here on Tuesday (May 12) to be detained at the Henry Gurney School for three years after pleading guilty to charges of theft and house-trespass.
Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan handed down the order after accepting the child offender’s admission and considering the probation report, recommendations from court advisors, as well as submissions from the prosecution.
The court ordered the child offender to be detained at the Henry Gurney School for rehabilitation, effective from May 12. The court further ordered that the boy’s parents are allowed to visit him once a month, in accordance with provisions under the Child Act 2001.
He was charged under Section 379A of the Penal Code for theft, which carries a jail term of between one and seven years, and may also include a fine.
He also faced a separate charge under Section 448 of the Penal Code for house-trespass, punishable with up to three years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to RM5,000, or both.
According to the case facts, the incident occurred at about 4.27am on April 4 at a house in Tabuan Heights.
The complainant reported hearing the sound of a metal gate being dragged. Upon checking, he discovered that a set of gold-coloured Yamaha motorcycle rims and a motorcycle battery had been stolen from the front area of the house. The estimated loss was about RM200.
Acting on information, a police team conducted an operation on April 7 at a house in Kampung Stutong BDC Stampin, where the suspect was arrested.
Police also seized two gold-coloured motorcycle rims believed to be linked to the case.
Investigations, including CCTV footage, revealed that the accused had unlawfully entered the victim’s compound, leading to the house-trespass charge.
The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Fauzulutfi Suriani while the accused was unrepresented.
