50s Fined for Harassing Nurse While Being Taken to Emergency Room

Gwangju District Court. A man in his 50s, who was indicted for forcibly molesting a nurse at a hospital, was sentenced to a fine in the appellate trial as well.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jumi Lee] A man in his 50s who was prosecuted for forcibly molesting an emergency room nurse was sentenced to a fine again in the appellate court.

On the 20th, the Gwangju District Court Criminal Division 2 (Chief Judge Jinman Kim) upheld the original sentence of a fine in the appeal trial of A (53), who was charged with forcible molestation.

The first trial sentenced A to a fine of 3 million won and ordered him to complete 40 hours of a sexual violence treatment program.

The appellate court explained the sentencing reason, stating, "Considering the victim’s and bystanders’ reactions immediately after the incident, the reporting process, and other factors, there is no reason to doubt the credibility of the victim’s testimony, and there is no motive for the victim to falsely accuse the defendant."

A was prosecuted on charges of forcibly molesting nurse B at an emergency room in a hospital in Gwangju around 11:15 p.m. on February 18, 2019.

At the time, A was intoxicated and had fallen on the road, injuring his head, and was taken to the hospital emergency room. While lying on the emergency room bed, A pulled nurse B, who was about to disinfect his wound, and touched her buttocks 3 to 4 times as if patting them.

This crime was also captured on the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage inside the emergency room.

In the first trial, A claimed, "I was intoxicated and in a state of mental incompetence or diminished capacity due to the shock of the head injury at the time."

However, the first trial court stated, "Considering all circumstances, including the defendant’s behavior before and after the crime, it is difficult to recognize that the defendant was in a state of mental incompetence or diminished capacity at the time of the crime."