A 'Soccer Kick' to a Woman Met for the First Time... The End of a Former Soccer Player

Court: "The defendant is more aware of the intent in the case of implied malice..."

A former soccer player was sentenced to 25 years in prison for indiscriminately assaulting a woman he had just met by dragging her into an alley and delivering a 'soccer kick' to her face.

On the 20th, Yonhap News reported that the Busan District Court Criminal Division 7 (Chief Judge Shin Heon-gi) sentenced Kwon Mo, who was charged with attempted robbery and murder, to 25 years in prison.

In the early morning of February 6, a victim who was indiscriminately assaulted in the face by Kwon on a street in Seo-gu, Busan, was taken to the hospital after a passerby reported the incident. Although she survived, she suffered serious injuries including a fractured jawbone.

[Photo by Yonhap News]

At the previous sentencing hearing, the prosecution requested the court to impose a life sentence considering Kwon's violent nature and risk of recidivism to prevent further innocent casualties. Kwon was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2008 for robbery and rape. After his release, he was sentenced to five years in prison for robbery after threatening clerks with a weapon at two convenience stores within six months.

The court stated, "Although it seems the defendant committed the crime due to depression and other factors, the nature of the crime is very serious," and added, "While there was no intent to kill, the defendant, a former soccer player, should have known better what happens when he assaults someone with his feet for a considerable time."

Furthermore, the court explained the sentencing rationale: "Considering the number and nature of the crimes, it can be seen that there was at least a tacit intent to kill, and we have no choice but to impose a punishment corresponding to the life sentence requested by the prosecution. However, since it was only attempted murder, the sentence was reduced from life imprisonment."

Earlier, Kwon claimed in court that he was intoxicated at the time of the crime and had no intent to kill. The court did not accept Kwon's claim of lacking intent to kill.

After being indicted, Kwon was absent from three trials citing panic disorder. When the court warned that the trial would proceed without the defendant, he appeared in court for the first time on the 19th of last month. However, he did not appear on the sentencing date scheduled for the 13th.

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