THE High Court sent the case of a convicted juvenile back to the Juvenile Court for him to be examined by a psychiatrist.

Last October, the 13-year-old was ordered to be sent to the Singapore Boys' Home for 2 1/2 years for molestation and causing hurt.

He appealed.

Appealing against the court order on Friday, his lawyer, Mr Sunil Sudheesan, said his client was suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at the time of the offences in 2006 and 2007. He is still taking medication for his medical condition.

He said unfortunately, this was not looked into by the district judge, who had placed undue weight on the appellant's history of misconduct.

Counsel said his client was only 11 when he pinched the bottom of a 16-year-old student in June 2006, and pulled the hair of a Filipino housewife six months later.

He said his client, a first offender, was not a sexual deviant but committed the offences due to an 'inappropriate sense of mischief'.

A third charge of exposing himself was taken into consideration.

Justice Lee Seiu Kin set aside the order and remitted the case to the Juvenile Court for the juvenile to be assessed by the Child Guidance Clinic.