KUWAIT CITY, July 23: The Second Circuit of the Court of Appeal, presided over by Judge Nasr Salem Al-Haid and including Judges Saud Al-Sanea and Tariq Metwally, has upheld a five-year hard labor prison sentence for a man convicted of repeatedly harassing and molesting female high school students.

The defendant faced charges from the Public Prosecution for indecent assault, including inappropriate physical contact, persistent harassment, and attempting to lure a minor into immoral acts. The case came to light after he targeted a high school girl outside an association’s branch, touching her without consent. Initially dismissing it as accidental, the victim realized his intent when he repeated the act and later pressured her to add him on Snapchat while making inappropriate advances.

Upon learning of the incident, the victim’s father filed a formal complaint. Surveillance footage revealed the accused loitering near the school branch, deliberately targeting schoolgirls in uniform (particularly high school students) before following and assaulting them. A police ambush led to his arrest, and during interrogation, he confessed to the crimes, admitting to an "obsession with harassing female students in school uniforms."

While the Criminal Court initially sentenced him to five years of hard labor, the Court of Appeal dismissed appeals for a suspended sentence in its first hearing. In a subsequent session, the court affirmed the original ruling, citing the soundness of the lower court’s decision and the inadequacy of the defendant’s defense.