Chuncheon District Court Wonju Branch Sentences Man in His 50s to Prison and Orders Detention
Judges State "Responsibility Not Light as Private Tutor"
A 50-year-old study room operator who habitually molested young students by talking to them, such as telling them 'Don't make noise' or asking if they were adjusting well to the academy, was sentenced to prison.
On the 3rd, the Criminal Division 1 of the Wonju Branch of Chuncheon District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Su-woong) sentenced Mr. A (53), who was indicted without detention on charges of violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (forcible molestation of a minor under 13), to 2 years and 6 months in prison and ordered his immediate detention in court. The court also ordered Mr. A to undergo probation for 3 years and imposed employment restrictions for 7 years at institutions related to children, adolescents, and persons with disabilities.
Mr. A, who runs a study room in Gangwon Province, was brought to trial on charges of molesting B (11), a student attending his study room, twice in mid-April and early October 2022. When he saw B playing around with another friend, he said, 'I told you not to make noise,' wrapped his arm around B's neck, and touched her chest with his hand. He also faced additional charges of molesting C (11), another student at the study room, three times in early to mid-October and on December 2 of the same year. He approached C while saying, 'Are you adjusting well to the academy?' and 'Why did you get this question wrong?' and massaged her arms and shoulders while touching her chest. In late October of that year, when B and C were making noise, he told them 'Don't make noise,' wrapped one arm around B and the other around C's neck, and touched their chests with both hands, which was also added to the indictment.
However, Mr. A denied his crimes during the trial and claimed innocence. It was revealed that he rather created public opinion that the victim students had bad behavior and caused harm to other students, inflicting additional pain on the victims.
The court stated, "The defendant, as a private tutor, molested his students six times, and the gravity of the crime is not light, so severe punishment is inevitable." It added, "Considering that the defendant is likely to continue working in industries dealing with children and adolescents, such as academy instructors, there is a recognized risk of committing similar sexual crimes again," explaining the reasons for his immediate detention and probation orders. Regarding sentencing, the court explained, "We took into account the negative impact on the victims' healthy sexual value formation and the fact that the victims did not forgive the defendant." Both Mr. A and the prosecution appealed the first trial verdict.
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