Arabic version: سجن رجل من كانبيرا بسبب اعتداء في موقف سيارات تحت الأرض

According to ABC News, Lal Ro Puia has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for sexually assaulting a woman in an underground hotel car park in Canberra’s north. He will be eligible for parole in August 2028.

Puia, who was 30 at the time, followed the woman into a hotel car park on Northbourne Avenue in November last year. The court heard he confronted her as she left her car and, after she refused requests for money, food and a hug, grabbed her around the waist.

When the woman resisted, Puia pushed her to the ground, attempted to remove her clothing and pushed her head into the ground three times. She fought back by striking him in the head with her keys while he attempted to remove his pants. Puia then stood up, adjusted his clothing and left. CCTV captured the attack and her efforts to defend herself.

Justice Andrew Muller took into account charges of sexual assault in the second degree, burglary with intent to cause harm and committing an act of indecency. He described the woman’s resistance as courageous. In a victim impact statement, she described shock, fear and hopelessness, and said she feared for her life as the attack became more violent.

The court heard Puia had a long history of mental illness, homelessness and substance abuse issues. Justice Muller said the case was not overwhelming when Puia entered his pleas, noting a psychologist’s report was not yet available and that Puia had previously been found unfit to plead because of mental impairment in a Victorian matter. Puia received a 25 per cent discount for his guilty plea. His sentence includes a non-parole period of two years and nine months.