Damanhour Court Toughens Sentence: 10 Years for School Child Assailant

The Damanhour Criminal Appeals Court released the grounds for its judgment. The court intensified the sentence against defendant Sabry Kamel Gaballah. He received a 10-year rigorous prison term. This followed his conviction for assaulting child Yassin inside Al-Karma School.

The defendant had previously appealed the initial verdict. He maintained his denial of the charge. His defense requested summoning forensic doctors. They also challenged witness statements and technical reports. The defense claimed insufficient evidence existed. Furthermore, they sought a forensic examination for the defendant, citing physical inability to commit the crime.

The court, however, rejected these defense arguments. It affirmed the claims lacked any legal or scientific basis. Medical reports, the court clarified, presented conclusive findings. The issue of physical ability, it stated, bore no relation to the facts established by forensic medicine.

The court, in its reasoning, confirmed its full confidence in witness statements. It also trusted the technical evidence presented. This evidence revealed the defendant isolated the child inside the school restroom. He then assaulted the child by force. The defendant exploited the child’s young age and his job position within the school.

The court emphasized the defendant’s defense arguments. It considered them merely a subjective debate. These arguments, the court stressed, did not undermine the certain proof of the crime.

The court ultimately rejected the appeal. It modified the sentence to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. The defendant must also pay all criminal costs. Read more about legal proceedings in Egypt.