New Delhi: A Delhi court has taken a lenient view towards a 65-year-old man, who tried to kidnap and sexually harass a minor girl, by sentencing him for a period already spent by him behind bars saying he has been languishing in jail for over two years.

Additional sessions Judge Balwant Rai Bansal held the man guilty of committing the offences with a 10-year-old girl, but released him from jail considering his poor background and the fact that he has already spent two years and seven months in custody.

“In the present case, the convict was arrested on January 23, 2015, and since then he has been languishing in judicial custody, that is for about two years and seven months.

“Considering all the facts and circumstances of the case and keeping in view the period of custody and poor background of the convict, taking a lenient view, the ends of justice will be met if the convict is sentenced to the period already undergone by him and also a fine of Rs 500,” the judge said.

The court noted that the 65-year-old accused, Lakhbir Singh, had voluntarily pleaded guilty to the offences and it accepted the contention of his counsel that he was a senior citizen who belonged to poor strata of society.

According to the prosecution, the girl had gone out to play with her friends on January 23, 2015, and when she was returning home, the accused gagged and blindfolded her and tried to take her away.

However, the victim raised an alarm and the accused was caught in the act and handed over to the police, it said.

During trial, the accused pleaded guilty but his counsel sought leniency for him on the ground that he has been in jail throughout trial since his arrest.