A special Thiruvananthapuram Fast Track Court on Wednesday sentenced a 54-year-old man to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined him ₹26,000 for sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl.
Special Judge Anju Meera Birla pronounced the sentence on Basil Joseph alias Edison. The court ruled that failure to pay the fine would result in an additional three years and three months in prison. He further ordered that the survivor be provided with both a fine and other compensation from the District Office of Legal Services.
According to the prosecution led by Special Public Prosecutor RS Vijay Mohan, the incident took place on October 20, 2024 under Valiyathura police station limits when the young girl was playing on the terrace of her house.
The accused, who was a neighbor of the family, lured the child to him by asking for help with the flower pot. As she approached, Joseph grabbed her hand and refused to let go. He also specifically said that he would only let go if she kissed him. Out of fear, the child complied to escape his grasp and immediately informed his father of the ordeal. The defendant fled the scene when he saw the girl’s father coming.
The prosecution heard 13 witnesses, presented 20 documents and three physical objects.
Published – 04 Feb 2026 20:59 IST
