"Do Not Ride with Drinks"…Elderly Man in His 70s Sentenced to Prison for Spitting and Threatening Bus Driver

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] A man in his 70s who threatened a bus driver by taking off his mask and spitting or appearing to hit him after being told "Do not board the bus with a drink" was sentenced to prison.

On the 19th, according to the legal community, Judge Hong Changwoo of the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 1 recently sentenced A (76, male), who was indicted on charges including assaulting a driver under the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, to six months in prison.

Earlier, on March 24 around 10 p.m., A was riding a bus near Sinchon Station in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, when he was brought to trial for assaulting bus driver B (60) by pretending to punch him and spitting about four times toward his face after removing his mask. It was investigated that A committed the crime out of anger at B’s remark telling him "Do not board with a drink."

Article 5-10, Paragraph 1 of the current Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes stipulates that "Anyone who assaults or threatens a driver of a vehicle in operation shall be punished by imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of up to 20 million won."

The court stated, "The defendant threatened to hit the victim, who was driving a city bus, over a trivial reason, lowered his mask and spat toward the victim’s face, assaulting him," and added, "This crime threatens not only the victim but also the health and safety of unspecified passengers using public transportation facilities, so strict punishment is necessary."

The court also noted, "The defendant has a history of multiple punishments related to violent crimes and committed this crime during a probation period when he should have been refraining from wrongdoing. However, the sentence was determined considering that the defendant admitted the crime and is reflecting on it, reached an amicable settlement with the victim, and all other sentencing conditions."

Meanwhile, A has appealed against this ruling.