40s Inmate Sentenced to Prison for Beating 60s Detention Center Cellmate Over 'Blanket Tidying Nagging'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] A man in his 40s, incarcerated in a detention center for multiple violent crimes, was sentenced to prison again after brutally assaulting a fellow inmate in his 60s who nagged him during the 'bedding arrangement' process.

According to the court on the 20th, the Criminal Division 21-2 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Jeonggon) recently sentenced A (45, male), who was indicted for grievous bodily harm, to 2 years and 6 months in prison in the first trial.

Earlier, A was brought to trial on charges of inflicting injuries requiring six months of medical treatment on B (60, male), who was housed in the same cell at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi Province, around 5:55 a.m. on October 21 last year.

At the time, A became angry after being nagged by B during the bedding arrangement process and hit B's face several times. When B looked in the mirror and retaliated by hitting A once, A struck B's face multiple times again with both hands. It was revealed that even after B lost consciousness and collapsed, A continued to kick B's head and back.

A had a prior record of six punishments, including three fines and three prison sentences, for similar offenses such as assault and bodily injury, and was serving a one-year prison sentence since January last year for previous bodily injury charges.

The first trial found A guilty of bodily injury. The court stated, "The defendant confessed to the crime and it was committed impulsively during a dispute," but added, "Despite having a prior record for similar offenses, he reoffended during the recidivism period (three years after completion or exemption of sentence), and committed the crime while incarcerated and awaiting trial in the detention center, which is highly condemnable."

Furthermore, the court noted, "The method of the crime was cruel, as the defendant repeatedly kicked the victim who had lost consciousness and fallen to the floor, unable to resist," and added, "The defendant has not been forgiven by the victim and has taken no measures to restore the damage, which were considered in sentencing."