2007 06: Whipping? Paedophile changes plea

The Star online. News. Nation. Tuesday June 5, 2007

By CECIL FUNG

KUALA LUMPUR: A security guard who first admitted to forcing a 13-year-old boy to perform oral sex on him changed his plea when he found out the sentence was 20 years and whipping.

T. Prabayar, 33, initially pleaded guilty when he was charged at a Sessions Court here with committing the offence inside the toilet of a showhouse in Bandar Baru Sentul on May 20 around 4pm.

The security guard, when told about the sentence, hesitated for a moment before he decided to claim trial despite an explanation from judge Datin Anita Harun that he would be given a chance to mitigate.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Abazafree Mohd Abbas informed the court that although the victim was not known to the accused, the teenager resided within the same area where the incident happened.

As such, he said the probability of witness-tampering was high. He suggested an RM30,000 bail.

Anita then turned to Prabayar and asked if he had a bailor to which he answered yes. She then asked him if he had anything to say about the bail sum. He shook his head.

"Can you afford RM30,000?" the judge asked? Prabayar, who is from Perak, nodded and said yes.

The judge then set bail at the proposed amount in one surety and fixed July 5 for a mention of the case to allow the security guard to appoint a lawyer.

At press time, bail had yet to be posted.

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Guard on sex charge changes plea
The Star online. News. Courts. Wednesday June 6, 2007

KUALA LUMPUR: A security guard, who admitted to forcing a 13-year-old boy to perform oral sex on him, was stunned when told of the maximum sentence – 20 years and whipping.

He then decided to change his plea.

T. Prabayar, 33, initially pleaded guilty when he was charged at a Sessions Court here with committing the offence in the toilet of a show house in Bandar Baru Sentul around 4pm on May 20.

The security guard, when told about the sentence, hesitated for a moment before deciding to claim trial despite an explanation from judge Datin Anita Harun that he would be given a chance to mitigate.

DPP Mohd Abazafree Mohd Abbas informed the court that the victim lived in the same area where the incident happened.

As such the probability of witness-tampering was high, he said before suggesting a RM30,000 bail.

The judge set bail at the proposed amount in one surety and fixed July 5 for a mention of the case.

At press time, bail had yet to be posted.