A man in his 30s who molested an unspecified number of women at a cafe and bookstore in Gwanggyo New Town, Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, received a suspended prison sentence.
The Suwon District Court Criminal Division 1 single-judge panel (Chief Judge Yoo Sang-ho) on the 13th sentenced a person surnamed A, indicted on charges including forcible molestation, to one year and six months in prison, suspended for three years. The court also ordered 40 hours of sex crime treatment and restricted employment for three years at institutions related to children, teenagers, and people with disabilities.
The court said, "Because an unspecified number of people were harmed, the social risks are not insignificant, the victims report mental distress, and committing the crimes even after a warning is an aggravating factor."
It continued, "However, we considered that the molestation involved touching hands, so the area and degree were not severe; that the offense appears to have been driven by a worsening mental illness; and that the family has a clear commitment to guidance and treatment," explaining the reasons for sentencing.
Earlier, prosecutors sought three years in prison, saying, "Given the method of the crimes, the risk of recidivism is high." At the time, A's attorney requested, "Rather than isolating the defendant from society, please give a chance to live again as a member of society through probation."
A is accused of holding the hands or touching the shoulders of eight women around 6 p.m. on Jan. 16 at places including a cafe and bookstore inside a shopping complex in Gwanggyo New Town, Suwon. At the time, A walked around inside the cafe, approached a woman sitting on a chair, and repeatedly committed acts such as suddenly hugging her from behind.
The day before, A had also been detained and questioned by police on suspicion of molesting four women at the same location, but, while booked without detention, committed the same crime again and was arrested in the act.