Pastor Assaults Girlfriend Crying Over Father's Death, Saying "You Believe in God, So Why Cry?"

A pastor in his 60s who assaulted his girlfriend after she showed tears over her father's death, saying "Why are you crying when you believe in God?" was sentenced to prison.

The Chuncheon District Court Criminal Division 1 (Presiding Judge Shim Hyun-geun) announced on the 3rd that it dismissed the appeal filed by Pastor A (68), who was charged with special injury, special intimidation, injury, and assault, and upheld the original sentence of 2 years in prison.

A was charged with repeatedly hitting the shoulders and arms of his common-law girlfriend B (68) at his home in Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Province, around 6 p.m. on March 16 of last year.

(This photo is not directly related to the article) [Photo source=Pixabay]

On April 15 of the same year, A also assaulted B multiple times on her face and neck while they were praying together at his residence early in the morning, saying, "I want to kill you whenever I see you." In May 2018, he was accused of hitting B on the head with a picture frame because she did not register their marriage, and then threatening her by pouring kerosene inside the house and holding a lighter, saying, "If you die, I die."

During the trial, A admitted to the facts but claimed that his actions were only to discipline or soothe B.

However, the Yeongwol Branch of the Chuncheon District Court, which handled the first trial, ruled, "Considering that B testified she was hit multiple times by A during her father's funeral and early morning prayers and even went to the hospital, and that B submitted photographic evidence, it cannot be seen as an act of discipline or soothing." The court added, "A appears to have continuously committed violence over 5 years and 2 months while cohabiting with B. The nature of the crime is serious. Despite having been punished 14 times previously for violent crimes such as attempted murder and hostage-taking, he committed the offense again," and sentenced him to 2 years in prison.

A appealed the ruling, claiming the sentence was too harsh and unfair. Upon reviewing the case again, the second trial court stated, "Even after carefully examining various circumstances relevant to sentencing, the original sentence is appropriate and cannot be considered excessively harsh or unfair," and dismissed A's appeal.

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