Kuwait Court Upholds Suspended Sentence for Driver in Street Harassment Case

Kuwait's highest court has upheld a suspended sentence for a man who harassed a woman and then pursued her in his vehicle with dangerous driving, endangering other road users. The Court of Cassation affirmed the Court of Appeals' decision, which spared the married man jail time.

The incident occurred as the woman was driving to pick up her son from school. The defendant approached her, made unwanted advances, and touched her without consent. When she drove away, he followed her in his car, attempting to stop her and get her phone number. His pursuit involved reckless maneuvers, including driving on the sidewalk and against traffic, which caused a disruption and a property-damaging accident.

Prosecutors had charged the man with molestation, indecent public acts, and multiple traffic violations. The initial court sentenced him to five years with hard labor for the harassment and indecent act charges, along with fines and a license suspension. However, the Court of Appeals modified this, suspending the prison sentence for the primary charges in exchange for a KD2,000 fine and a two-year pledge of good behavior.