KUALA LUMPUR: A-34-year-old bank clerk was fined RM3,500, in default 10 months' jail, for flashing his buttocks at a pharmacist last year.
Kangar magistrate Ana Rozana Mohd Nor handed out the sentence after Shahrul Hakim Shaari pleaded guilty to the offence on Nov 23, last year.
According to the facts of the case, the father of three went to the pharmacy to inquire about medicine for boils before exposing his buttocks to the 30-year-old victim.
"After considering the public interest, the court imposed the fine as a penalty, given the seriousness of the offence.
"The sentence serves not only as a deterrent to the accused but also as a lesson for future offenders to avoid engaging in acts that violate the dignity of women.
"The court also considered that the accused has no prior record and took responsibility for his mistake by making an early admission.
"Therefore, a 'discount' should be granted for the guilty plea," Ana Rozana said in her judgment which was uploaded through the e-judiciary system yesterday.
She said the accused has a stable life and his future would be in jeopardy if the court imposed a prison sentence.
"He needs to support his wife who is currently pregnant and his elderly mother. The court believes that the accused's family should not be dragged along to bear the suffering if the court imposes a severe sentence," she added.
According to the charge sheet, the accused was charged with insulting the modesty of the victim near a pharmacy in Padang Besar at 11.50am on May 9, 2023.
The offence falls under Section 509 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum of five years imprisonment or fine or both.