30s Man Given Probation for Attempting Illegal Filming of Naked Woman Through Bathroom Window

Attempted Filming After Approaching Upon Hearing Hair Dryer Sound Fails
Chuncheon District Court Upholds 6-Month Prison Sentence with 2-Year Probation on Appeal

A man in his 30s who attempted to illegally film a woman drying her hair naked through a bathroom window was sentenced to a suspended prison term in the appellate court, following the first trial.

On the 11th, the Chuncheon District Court Criminal Division 1 (Chief Judge Shim Hyun-geun) announced that it upheld the original sentence of 6 months imprisonment with a 2-year suspension for Mr. A (35), who was charged with filming and distributing images using a camera under the Sexual Violence Punishment Act. The court also ordered him to attend 40 hours of sexual violence treatment lectures, as in the original trial.

Mr. A was prosecuted for attempting to film a naked woman drying her hair with a hairdryer through a bathroom window in front of a villa in Wonju city last April, after hearing the sound of the hairdryer.

The first trial court stated, "The victim likely experienced considerable fear, sexual shame, or discomfort, so the defendant must bear corresponding responsibility," but considering that Mr. A had no prior convictions of the same kind or any criminal record exceeding fines, he was sentenced to a suspended prison term. The prosecution appealed, arguing that the sentence was too light. The appellate court dismissed the appeal, stating, "The circumstances cited by the prosecution were already reflected in the original sentencing, and no new circumstances have been found since the original judgment," thus confirming the first trial's ruling.

On the 9th, a medical student accused of illegally filming students by installing a camera in a school locker room was also sentenced to 8 months imprisonment with a 2-year suspension in the appellate court, following the first trial. On that day, the Suwon District Court Criminal Appeals Division 9 (Chief Judge Baek Dae-hyun) announced that it handed down the same sentence as the first trial to Mr. B, a student at A University College of Medicine, who was indicted without detention for violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (filming and distributing images using a camera).

Mr. B was charged with installing a camera in a locker in the changing room of the medical school building at A University in Gyeonggi Province in June 2022, illegally filming male and female students. The changing room was a temporary space used by students one at a time.

The first trial court explained the sentencing rationale, saying, "The crime was committed against friends in a special space such as a school, and it betrayed the social expectations and trust placed in medical students, making the crime particularly serious. Even after the crime was discovered, the defendant made an absurd excuse that he caused trouble to get permission for a leave of absence, and some victims have not forgiven him." After the first trial, both the prosecution and the defendant filed appeals citing inappropriate sentencing. The prosecution sought a 2-year prison sentence for Mr. B. However, the appellate court dismissed the appeal, stating, "It is difficult to see that the original sentencing exceeded the reasonable range of discretion."

Meanwhile, a man in his 40s who peeped at a woman showering through a semi-basement window was also caught by the police recently.

On the 27th of last month, the Michuhol Police Station in Incheon announced that they had booked Mr. C, a man in his 40s, without detention on charges of trespassing and were investigating him. Mr. C is accused of climbing over the fence of an apartment complex in Juan-dong, Michuhol-gu, Incheon, around 10:30 p.m. on the 23rd of last month and peeping at a woman showering through a gap in the semi-basement window. The police responded to a 112 emergency call reporting "a man and a woman fighting" and arrested Mr. C on the spot. The victim reportedly claimed that "Mr. C peeped at her showering by climbing over the fence three times."