MELAKA: A 35-year-old hotel worker has been sentenced to seven years in jail by the Sessions Court here for sexually abusing a 15-year-old boy.

       Judge Elesabet Paya Wan meted out the sentence on Thursday (Dec 16) after the accused pleaded guilty to the offence under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.

       He had committed the offence at a hotel in Taman Melaka Raya at 5.30pm on Dec 9.

       The accused, who was unrepresented, had earlier appealed to the court for a lighter sentence stating that he had to care for his ageing mother as well as his elder sister.

       Based on the statement of facts, the accused had sexually abused the victim who was a guest at the hotel.

       The victim, a student, had registered at the hotel together with his mother and siblings.

       The accused had invited the victim to the hotel’s storeroom when the latter requested an additional pillow before sexually abusing him.