A company manager in southwest China's Sichuan Province was detained for five months for molesting a colleague, a local court said on Monday.

It was the first office sex harassment case brought under the Law the Protection of Women's Rights and Interests introduced in December 1, 2005.

Liu Lun, a human resource manager in an unnamed high-tech company,forcibly molested a young, recently graduated, female colleague in his office on March 11, a Chengdu High-tech District People's court ruling said.

Liu held Chen Dan, a new employee in the company, in his arm, clipped her neck and kissed her after she refused to be his girlfriend. Chen suffered minor injury after that.

Chen, just graduated from college and in a relationship with a boyfriend, had been interviewed by Liu when she joined the company.

A colleague in the neighbouring office called the police after hearing Chen's screams for help. Liu was held in custody later.

Liu did not appeal to the court.

(Xinhua News Agency July 16, 2008)