Supreme Court Confirms 15-Year Prison Sentence for Man in His 40s for 'Hand Axe' Rampage in Front of Daycare

Supreme Court. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] A man in his 40s who swung a hand axe in front of a daycare center last year, injuring three people including a child's grandmother, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The Supreme Court's 2nd Division (Presiding Justice Kim Sang-hwan) announced on the 27th that it upheld the original sentence of 15 years in prison in the appeal trial of Mr. A, who was charged with attempted murder.

Mr. A was indicted for swinging a hand axe in front of a daycare center in Seoul last July, injuring three people including a child's grandmother.

At that time, one of the victims suffered a head injury, and the other two also underwent long-term hospitalization and treatment.

It was investigated that Mr. A decided to kill his brother who had not paid litigation costs and, after looking for the place where his brother worked, committed the crime against people he had never met before.

The first trial court recognized guilt, citing that Mr. A meticulously prepared for the crime, including purchasing a weapon in advance, and sentenced him to 15 years in prison.

During the trial, Mr. A's side claimed diminished responsibility due to schizophrenia, but this was not accepted.

The court noted that Mr. A had a violent tendency, having previously been convicted for ramming a vehicle into the Blue House, and considered the risk of reoffending to be high, ordering the attachment of an electronic tracking device for 10 years.

In the citizen jury trial held at the request of Mr. A's side, all nine jurors found him guilty, and the appellate court also agreed that the first trial's judgment was correct.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.