IPOH: Snatch thieves should be severely punished and be kept away from society for a long time, said a High Court judge.
In rejecting an appeal by lorry driver K. Raman against his nine-year jail term and six strokes of the rotan, Justice V.T. Singham said the presence of such offenders on the streets was dangerous particularly to women.
“If not for the quick action of the police, you would be repeating your criminal activities on other victims.
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OFF TO JAIL: Raman shielding his face from the media after his appeal was dismissed by the High Court. |
“Your apparent disregard for public safety cannot be compromised and the court will not be swayed by your mitigating plea including the promise that you have repented,” he said yesterday.
Raman, 32, who pleaded guilty to three snatch theft charges, had appealed against a lower court decision which ruled that his sentences be run consecutively.
Raman, from Jelapang, told the court that he had to look after his parents and his five-year-old child as his Thai wife had abandoned their child after he was arrested on May 8.
On June 29, Raman got a two-year jail term for snatching a gold necklace worth RM700 belonging to 40-year-old Muslimah Basar at No. 78 at Taman Maju Rapat in Kampung Rapat at 1.30pm on April 4.
In the second charge, Raman was sentenced to three years’ jail for snatching a gold necklace worth RM400 from teacher M. Yasotha, 32, at SRK Tamil Methodist in Buntong at 1.30pm on April 23.
For the third charge, Raman was given a four-year jail term and ordered to be given six strokes of the rotan for stealing a gold necklace worth RM400 belonging to 67-year-old S. Subbulakshimy in Jalan Abdul Manaf at Lim Garden at 7.15pm on May 6.
