A Man in His 30s Who Was Once a Victim of a 'Random Assault' Committed the Same Crime Against Children

Cheongju District Court Sentences 10 Months Imprisonment and 2 Years Probation
Also Hit a 9-Year-Old Child Who Greeted Him

A man in his 30s, who was once a victim of a 'random assault,' was sentenced to a suspended prison term after committing the same crime against a child and adolescent he had never met before.

The Cheongju District Court Criminal Division 1 (Judge Kwon No-eul) sentenced A (33), who was tried on charges of injury and violation of the Child Welfare Act (child abuse), to 10 months in prison with a 2-year suspension, according to Yonhap News on the 3rd.

Cheongju District Court

A was prosecuted for approaching B (15), whom he encountered at a park in an apartment complex in Seowon-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, around 8 p.m. on April 29, grabbing the back of B’s neck and punching his face and abdomen multiple times. At the time, he assaulted B without any reason as B was passing in front of him. A also grabbed B’s neck, who was resisting, and said, "Who told you to do this?" while hitting his abdomen several times. Due to this assault, B sustained injuries requiring two weeks of treatment.

Two days later, A committed a similar crime again. This time, within the same apartment complex, he mistakenly thought a 9-year-old boy who greeted him was cursing and slapped the back of the boy’s head with his palm. Police investigations revealed that A had shown violent tendencies due to paranoid delusions that neighbors would attack him first, stemming from a severe injury he suffered after being randomly assaulted in the past.

The first trial court pointed out, "The defendant used violence without reason, and it appears that the child and adolescent victims suffered significant physical and psychological shock and pain." Regarding the sentencing, the court explained, "However, considering that the defendant developed a mental illness after being a victim of a crime, which seems to have influenced the offense in this case, the defendant’s pledge to focus on treatment and preventing future crimes, and the fact that he reached an agreement with the victims."