"Spreading Rumors"... Teen Sentenced to Prison for Detaining Junior at Motel and Forcing Sexual Assault

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Soyoung] A teenager who dragged junior male and female colleagues to a motel, assaulted them, and forced them into obscene acts and sexual assault for allegedly badmouthing her was sentenced to prison again in the appellate court.

On the 31st, the Jeonju Division of the Gwangju High Court, 1-3 Criminal Division (Chief Judge Jo Chanyang) announced that it dismissed the appeal of teenage defendant A, who was charged with violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes (special rape), and upheld the original sentence of 5 years and 6 months imprisonment (long term 5 years, short term 3 years 6 months).

A was prosecuted for detaining junior colleagues B (male) and C (female) for about 7 hours and assaulting them at an unmanned motel in Iksan, Jeonbuk, around 1:45 a.m. on September 11 last year.

At the time, two junior accomplices of A were also present at the motel. A is also accused of having one of these accomplices sexually assault C and recording it on a mobile phone. Additionally, A threatened B by saying, "If you don't take off your clothes, I will kill you," and forced him to perform obscene acts.

The perpetrators also showed meticulousness by confiscating the victims' mobile phones to prevent them from reporting to the police before the crime.

While A was prosecuted for this case, the two accomplices escaped criminal punishment as they were juvenile offenders under 14 years old at the time of the crime. According to criminal law, juvenile offenders are those aged 10 or older but under 14, and they are considered to lack criminal responsibility, so only protective measures such as sending them to juvenile detention centers or community service are imposed.

The appellate court stated the sentencing rationale, saying, "Although the defendant admits wrongdoing, the crime is serious as one of the victims suffered such severe psychological shock that they attempted an extreme act. The victims demand strict punishment for the defendant, so the original sentence does not appear to be too harsh or too lenient."

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