Tongamoa Kakau (32) was sentenced to two-years six-months imprisonment for serious indecent assault committed on a 21-year-old woman in the early morning hours, at her home in Tongatapu.

Acting Supreme Court Justice Langi sentenced the accused on October 21, after convicting him in September at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court.

The offence occurred on September 21, 2019.

The Acting SC Justice, said though the offending could be classified as being in the lower end of the spectrum for serious indecent assault, the purpose of this sentence is to impress upon the accused and any like-minded persons, that the courts condemn such undesirable conduct and it should not be tolerated. 

“Only two of the positive considerations apply to the accused in this case, that is, his long period of free criminal activity and the lack of premeditation. I have no doubt that this offending was caused by him drinking himself into a stupor to the point where he was unable to think clearly or take control of his actions,” she said.

"He has now experienced what many others before him who have appeared in court for crimes committed due to excessive drinking and hopefully he has learned that excessive drinking will most likely always land one in trouble."

In sentencing him, the Acting SC Justice suspended the last two-years of his sentence for three-years on conditions that he does not to commit any further crimes punishable by imprisonment, during the period of suspension, among others.

However, he is serving the remaining six-months of his sentence. 

The Court also directed that the identity of the complainant and her evidence taken in the proceedings shall not be published in Tonga.