A man in his 60s who moved a cat's food bowl due to smell and noise found guilty of property damage

A woman in her 60s who was prosecuted for disposing of a cat feeding bowl and a ceramic bowl installed in an apartment basement at a recycling center was found guilty of property damage in both the first and second trials. The photo is unrelated to the article content.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] A woman in her 60s who was prosecuted for disposing of cat feeding containers installed around her home in a recycling station was confirmed guilty.

On the 31st, according to the court, the 50th Criminal Appeal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Ko Yeon-geum) sentenced A (63, female), who was charged with property damage, to a fine of 700,000 won with a one-year probation, the same as the first trial.

The court stated, "It appears that the defendant, who lived next to the cat feeding container installed by the victim, suffered considerable distress due to the cats' crying and the smell of spoiled food," adding, "There seem to be some mitigating circumstances regarding the circumstances of the crime, and it appears that there is no prior criminal record."

However, it added, "Considering that the defendant did not reach a settlement with the victim, the defendant's age and character, the motive and circumstances of the crime, and other factors, the sentence of probation with a fine imposed in the first trial cannot be seen as excessively heavy beyond the reasonable limits of discretion."

Earlier, on September 4 of last year, A was prosecuted for disposing of one cat feeding container and two ceramic bowls installed in front of the basement window of an apartment by B in the recycling station due to discomfort caused by the cats' crying and the smell of spoiled food.

During the trial, A's side denied the charges, stating, "Although the feeding containers were moved to the recycling station, it did not affect the cats' meals, so the utility of the property was not impaired."

They also argued that "even if that were the case, the defendant moved the feeding containers due to the mental and physical distress caused by the smell, etc., and that A's actions constitute 'justifiable conduct.'"

Both the first and second trials found A guilty. However, they showed leniency by suspending the execution of the fine. According to current criminal law, a fine of up to 5 million won can be suspended for one to five years considering the motive of the crime.

Since A did not appeal, the appellate court's ruling was finalized as is.

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