Syrian gets prison sentence for affair with minor

AMMAN — The Criminal Court has sentenced a 21-year-old Syrian to seven years in prison for engaging in consensual sex with a Syrian minor in June 2013.

The defendant, a construction worker, was convicted of engaging in sexual activity with the married mother of two, who was 16 years old at the time.

Court papers said the defendant and the victim knew each other before her marriage, and the friendship was renewed after he kept sending her text messages on her mobile.

“The defendant asked the victim, who left Syria with her husband because of the political situation, to leave her spouse and marry him,” the court said.

The defendant convinced the victim to leave her husband, who was suffering from financial strains, and told her that he would take care of her and her children, according to the court.

The defendant took the victim to a Syrian family’s house in Amman claiming that she was his wife and engaged in sexual activities with her, court documents said.

The tribunal comprised judges Fawzi Nahar, Hussein Gharaba and Mohammad Udwan.

The verdict, which was issued earlier this month, will automatically be reviewed by the Cassation Court within the next 30 days.