PUTRAJAYA: A car salesman received 12 years' jail and ordered to be whipped four times by the Court of Appeal today for attempting to rape a customer service officer, forcing her to perform oral sex on him and robbing her.

This followed a three-man panel's decision to uphold Feezree Ferdause's conviction for the three offences which he committed on the woman in Seksyen 13, Shah Alam, Selangor on Sept 7, 2014.

Justice Datuk Seri Kamaludin Md Said, who chaired the panel, however, allowed Feezree's appeal for reduction of his jail term from 14 years to 12 and from seven strokes of the cane to four.

The panel which also comprised Justices Datuk Lee Heng Cheong and Datuk Hashim Hamzah issued a warrant of committal to commit Feezree, 29, to prison starting today.

Feezree had earlier obtained a stay of execution of his sentences at the High Court and was also allowed bail of RM45,000 with two sureties pending disposal of his appeal in the Court of Appeal.

For attempting to rape the woman who was aged 23 years at the time of the incident, the court maintained the 12-year jail term but ordered Feezree, 29, to be whipped twice. The Sessions Court had ordered three.

Feezree's 14 years' jail for the offence of committing carnal intercourse against the order of nature was reduced to 12 years and he was ordered to be whipped twice instead of four times.

For the robbery offence, the court maintained the eight years' jail sentence on Feezree. He was ordered to serve the jail sentences for the three offences concurrently.

On Aug 20, 2017, the Shah Alam Sessions Court found Feezree guilty of committing the three offences and meted out the custodial and whipping sentences on him. Feezree lost his appeal in the High Court on Nov 29, 2018.

In the court's unanimous decision, Justice Kamaludin said the court found that there were concurrent findings of facts by the Sessions Court and High Court that the attempted rape had been proven and that the woman was a credible witness.

According to the facts of the case, the woman was parking her car at the parking area of an apartment when Feezree approached her and asked her for direction to the Block D apartment. Feezree managed to open the car door and pushed the woman to the passenger seat.

Feezree was represented by a team of lawyers led by Fakhrul Redha Paridul Adras while deputy public prosecutor Mohd Khushairy Ibrahim appeared for the prosecution.

-- BERNAMA