Bangkok: The appeals court overturned a lower court ruling, sentencing former Democrat Party deputy leader Prin Panitchpakdi to three years in prison without suspension for child abduction and indecent acts.

According to Thai News Agency, the Court of Appeal reversed the initial decision after the Public Prosecutor's Office, Criminal Division 3, appealed the lower court's dismissal of the child abduction charge. The original court had also deemed the indecent assault charge expired due to the statute of limitations. The appeal was filed in case number 1849/2565, with Mr. Prin as the defendant accused of abducting a minor aged over 15 but not exceeding 18 years for indecent purposes.

The appeals court summoned Mr. Prin from prison, where he was already serving a sentence for an indecent act involving the sexual harassment of a university student at a restaurant on Sukhumvit 11. The court determined that the statute of limitations for the obscenity charge had not expired since the offense was committed on April 25, 2018, and the case was filed on the same date.

The court elaborated that "abduction" involves taking or separating a minor from their parents' custody, leading to a non-consensual situation. Despite the defendant and victim being in a van, the court ruled that Mr. Prin's actions constituted multiple offenses. Consequently, the appeals court sentenced him to one year for indecent acts and two years for child abduction, resulting in a total of three years imprisonment without suspension.

Reporters noted that Mr. Prin is facing prosecution in several other cases filed by both the prosecutor and victims as plaintiffs. These cases, approximately five to six in total, are currently being processed at the Bangkok South Criminal Court.