A MALE prisoner who broke out of Hu'atolitoli Prison in July last year
and committed housebreaking, theft and indecent assault while on the run, was sentenced to six years imprisonment by Justice Robert Shuster on February 4.

Siosifa Li who is in his 30's appeared at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court, handcuffed and accompanied by a prison warden.

The prisoner who had a career of crime was currently serving up the three years imprisonment for previous convictions of housebreaking and theft before escaping in July 2010.

Knife

While on the run he committed housebreakings at Pelehake, Niutoua and Navutoka in Tongatapu.

His first offence was on the night of July 28 when he entered a home at Pelehake looking for food and when he couldn't find any he went into one of the rooms and saw a girl sleeping there.

The court was told he used a knife on her neck to threaten her while he indecently assaulted her.

About a week later on August 5 he unlawfully entered a house at Niutoua and stole money and ate the food while the complainant was sleeping in the living room.

On the same day he continued to the neighbouring village of Navutoka and entered yet another house and saw a girl sleeping and kissed her on the mouth. She kept on sleeping so he entered one of the rooms and saw another girl sleeping on the bed and as he was about to touch her she woke up and he fled.

He was apprehended by prison wardens in August 2010 and returned to prison.

Justice Shuster Li to six years for six counts that included three for housebreaking and one each of common assault, indecent assault and theft. He said one of the aggravating factors was when he indecently assaulted a sleeping woman.

The prisoner would start serving his six years imprisonment after he completed his current sentence around March this year.