[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] A childcare teacher who repeatedly forced children aged 5 to 6 at a daycare center to engage in sexual acts has been sentenced to a heavy prison term. The childcare teacher and the director denied the abuse during the trial, but the court did not accept their claims.
On the 31st, the Supreme Court's 3rd Division (Presiding Justice Lee Heung-gu) announced that it upheld the original sentence of 10 years imprisonment in the appeal trial of childcare teacher A, who was indicted for violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes, among other charges.
A was charged with repeatedly sexually abusing children aged 5 to 6 while working as a childcare teacher at a daycare center in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, from 2017 to 2019.
It was investigated that A decided to commit the crimes by exploiting the fact that the young children were obedient and unable to refuse her demands. The crimes were found to have been concentrated during the children's nap time at the daycare center. A also moved the location of classroom furniture to hide the crime process. CCTV footage captured A and the victims, but their movements were only roughly visible as they were covered by blankets and other items.
In this process, B, A’s mother and the daycare center director, was also prosecuted for violating the Child Welfare Act.
A denied the abuse during the trial. A claimed, "I never committed any sexual acts or physical or mental abuse, and I only showed affection by keeping close to the victims who usually obeyed me." B also denied A’s sexual abuse.
However, both the first and second trial courts found A guilty based on CCTV footage and testimonies from the victims. The first trial court stated, "The nature of the crime is serious and the responsibility is heavy, so strict punishment is necessary. The defendant denies the crime with implausible excuses," sentencing A to 10 years imprisonment, 10 years employment restriction at child and youth-related institutions and facilities for the disabled, and 5 years probation. B was fined 30 million won for failing to properly supervise and manage.
The prosecution and both A and B appealed, but the second trial court upheld the first trial’s judgment, stating, "There is no factual error in the first trial’s decision and the sentencing does not seem unfair." The Supreme Court also found no issue with the lower court’s judgment and confirmed the punishment as is.
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