BALIK PULAU: A 20-year-old youth who threatened to upload private photos of a 17-year-old girl, which led to her suicide early this month, was sentenced the magistrate's court today to 21 months' jail for criminal intimidation and possession of pornographic materials.
He pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal intimidation and possession of pornographic materials.Magistrate Khalijah Mohd Khalid also fined unemployed G. Vieshnuu a total of RM17,000 for the three charges - two under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation and another under Section 292(a) of the same code for posession of pornographic materials.
The jail sentences for the three offences run concurrently.
"The court takes into account your guilty plea. Therefore, the court convicts you of all three charges," Khalijah said before handing down the sentences.
On the first count, Vieshnuu was sentenced to 19 months' jail and fined RM7,000, in default of one year jail, after he admitted to criminal intimidation against the 29-year-old older sister of the deceased girl by threatening to circulate the teenager's nude photos in the internet, at the Platinum III Condominium in Teluk Kumbar, Bayan Lepas, near here about 10am on Aug 3.
For the second charge, he was sentenced to 20 months' jail and fined RM5,000, in default of 17 months' jail after he admitted to criminal intimidation against the mother of the deceased teenager, by threatening to circulate her late daughter's nude photos in the internet at the same place and time.
Vieshnuu was also sentenced to 21 months' jail and fined RM5,000, in default 18 months' jail after he pleaded guilty to having in his possession pornographic materials in the form of videos and photos inside his cellphone by the roadside near the Padang Rengas police station in Kuala Kangsar, Perak, about 7pm on Aug 4. The cellphone was seized during his arrest in connection with the criminal intimidation cases.
Clad in a dark grey T-shirt and light grey pants wearing a face mask throughout the proceedings, Vieshnuu looked like he was in a daze when the sentences were read out.
Several of his family members were seated in the court.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Rais Imran Hamid prosecuted, while Vieshnuu was represented by counsel Jeorge Sheak.
Sheak told the court that his client regretted his actions after spending two weeks in remand, and immediately pleaded guilty to the charges at the first available opportunity.
He urged the court to impose a minimum fine to serve as a lesson to his client instead of a jail term, citing his age and he being a first offender.
"While I understand the severity of the offence, I hope my client will be given a second chance to turn over a new leaf.
"If he is sentenced to imprisonment, I hope the court can convert it to three months of community service as punishment instead.
"I believe my client should be rehabilitated instead of punished," he said, adding that the nude photos were never circulated.
Meanwhile, Rais pressed for a deterrant sentence, citing cyber bulling as a case of public interest.
"The accused should be punished accordingly to send a clear message.
"His action not only brought about impact to him but also the family in terms of reputation, self worth and dignity," he added.
Media had reported that the 17-year-old girl leaped to her death after her 'boyfriend' threatened to upload private photos onto the social media platform.
The drama unfolded on Aug 3 when the victim's mother answered a phone call from the 'boyfriend'. In the conversation she warned him to cease all links with her daughter.
Having been chastised, the man became very angry and uttered profanities at the mother before he threatened to post and make her daughter's private photos go viral on social media.
Scared over the incident, the teen jumped off her 22nd floor condominium unit.
The 20-year-old suspect was picked up from Padang Rengas, Kuala Kangsar, the following day, where police confiscated his mobile phone and found explicit photos of other as well.
Police's probe found that the suspect would deceive victims he got to know from Facebook before threatening to release their edited photographs in social media platforms if they refuse to have sex with him or decide to end the relationship.
It was also found that the man had asked for money from his victims in other cases reported in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor and Perak.