New Delhi, Sept. 25 -- Courts are under a solemn duty to reaffirm society's commitment that sexual crimes against children will be met with stern consequences, stressed the Delhi high court, while upholding the trial court's order convicting a man for raping his eight-year-old neighbour.

A bench of justice Sanjeev Narula delivered the verdict on Tuesday on an appeal by the man challenging the trial court's September 7, 2024, order, convicting and sentencing him to 10 years in jail for the aggravated sexual assault of an eight-year-old girl in 2018.

The conviction stemmed from an FIR lodged by the girl's parents alleging that the man forcibly confined her in a godown when she went out to get groceries, gagged her and raped her. The trial...