A court is being criticized after a young teen was charged as an adult based on the size of his privates.
The court in Russia, ruled that a Ukrainian boy, who claims to be 13 years old, should to be tried as an adult according to the size of his penis.
The boy who was identified as Thomas, was arrested on suspicion of stealing a cellphone, a charge the teen denied.
The teen had moved to Moscow, earlier that month, to live with his aunt. When he was arrested, the boy and his family claimed that he was 13 years old, and they have provided Ukrainian documentation that he used to cross the Russian border as evidence.
However, authorities believe that he is older and ordered a medical examination to determine his real age. Based on the size of his penis and teeth, prison doctors told the court that they believe he is actually 16 or 17 years old.
It is an important distinction as people over 16 years old are tried as adults in Russia, and that age is reduced to 14 in the case of more serious crimes, such as rape and murder.
As a result of the doctor’s findings, Thomas has been charged and convicted as an adult and was sentenced to prison.
His family has challenged the ruling, and the regional prison service said that it is committed to review the case.
(via YJ News)
