Stepfather Drugs and Rapes Stepdaughter's Friend... Sexual Abuse of Stepdaughter Since Age 6-7
Stepfather Denies Charges During Investigation and Trial... Victims Take Extreme Measures
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] The stepfather, who was the perpetrator in the ‘Cheongju middle school girl sexual assault victim’s suicide case,’ has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.
The Supreme Court’s 3rd Division (Presiding Justice Lee Heung-gu) on the 15th upheld the original sentence of 25 years imprisonment for Mr. A (57), who was indicted on charges of violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse (rape causing injury), the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (incest rape and forced molestation of a minor under 13), and the Child Welfare Act (child abuse).
Mr. A was tried for repeatedly committing sexual violence crimes such as rape and forced molestation against B, the daughter of his remarried spouse, and her close friend C.
It was confirmed that around mid-January last year, Mr. A gave alcohol to C, who had come to visit his house, and raped her while she was asleep. Additionally, Mr. A was investigated to have molested his stepdaughter B from when she was 6 to 7 years old and raped B, who was 13 years old in 2020, while she was sleeping.
When B and C were undergoing police investigation, on May 12 last year, they made an extreme choice at an apartment in Chang-ri, Ochang-eup, Cheongju City, bringing the case to public attention.
During the investigation and trial, Mr. A admitted only to the charge of child abuse for giving alcohol to his stepdaughter and her friend but denied all sexual crime charges.
The first trial found him guilty of acts such as similar sexual acts and forced molestation but acquitted him of the stepdaughter rape charge, sentencing him to 20 years in prison, ordering notification and disclosure of personal information, a 10-year employment ban in institutions related to children, youth, and disabled persons, and 5 years of probation.
On the other hand, the second trial court judged that the rape charge against the stepdaughter, which was acquitted in the first trial, was sufficiently proven, overturned the first trial’s ruling, and sentenced him to 25 years in prison.
The appellate court stated, “The defendant neglected his duty to raise the victim (stepdaughter) properly and committed rape. Considering the relationship between the defendant and the victims and the method of the crime, the nature of the crime is extremely serious and grave. The defendant’s denial of the crime during the investigation caused even more severe mental suffering to the victims, which was a major cause for the victims to no longer endure the given reality and make an extreme choice together.”
The Supreme Court also agreed with the second trial’s judgment. The court stated, “The victims described in detail and vividly the circumstances of being raped by the defendant, including the defendant’s actions, the tools used in the crime, the victims’ posture, and their feelings and reactions to the defendant’s behavior, in chronological order. There are no contradictions or conflicts with other evidence, no motive for false testimony, and thus the credibility is sufficiently recognized.”
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