Colleagues Fighting with Toilet Lid and Baseball Bat at Workplace Receive Probation in First Trial

Court: "Neither Party Reached an Agreement or Made Efforts to Restore the Damage"

Two coworkers who engaged in brawls for two consecutive days, assaulting each other with a toilet lid and a baseball bat, were sentenced to prison terms with probation.

According to Yonhap News on the 14th, Judge Lee Seong of the Ulsan District Court Criminal Division 1 sentenced Mr. A, in his 60s, who was tried on charges of special injury and special assault, to 8 months in prison with 2 years probation, and Mr. B, in his 50s, to 1 year in prison with 2 years probation. The court also ordered Mr. A and Mr. B to perform 80 hours and 160 hours of community service, respectively.

Ulsan District Court. Yonhap News

The two, who were coworkers, were indicted for assaulting each other with a ceramic toilet lid in the chairman's office of a company in Ulsan in early January last year.

At the time, Mr. A grabbed Mr. B's head because Mr. B, who was younger, provoked him with a sarcastic tone. In response, Mr. B picked up a nearby toilet lid and swung it at Mr. A, but Mr. A took it away and struck Mr. B on the back of the head. Mr. B, who was assaulted, suffered multiple bruises on his head and face, requiring three weeks of medical treatment.

The next day, the two met again at the company and started arguing once more. When Mr. A hit Mr. B's face, Mr. B brought an aluminum baseball bat from his car and struck Mr. A's head and legs. During the fight, Mr. A took the baseball bat and hit Mr. B as well. In the process, Mr. A sustained bruises on his neck and head, requiring two weeks of medical treatment.

The court stated the sentencing reasons, saying, "Although both parties bear significant guilt, they failed to reach an agreement and have not made efforts to restore the damage. Consideration was given to the fact that Mr. B first attacked with a dangerous object."