Secretly Entered Ex-Lover's House After Breakup Notice and Cut Gas Pipe... Gas Released for 40 Minutes

Published 13 Apr.2022 00:15(KST)

Court: "Causing life and property risks to unspecified masses"

A man in his 30s who trespassed into his ex-girlfriend's house without permission, cut off the city gas pipes, and released gas for 40 minutes was sentenced to three years in prison. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Photo by Pixabay

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] A man in his 30s who trespassed into his ex-girlfriend's house after she broke up with him, cut the city gas pipe, and released gas for 40 minutes, endangering an unspecified number of people including the risk of a gas explosion in a residential area, was sentenced to three years in prison.

The Criminal Division 1 of Chuncheon District Court Wonju Branch (Chief Judge Shin Gyo-sik) announced on the 12th that it sentenced A (32), who was indicted for violating the Act on the Punishment of Gas Release and Stalking Crimes, to three years in prison and ordered him to complete 40 hours of a stalking treatment program.

A had been dating his girlfriend B since January 2019. After hearing from B that she wanted to break up, he harbored resentment. On the evening of October 6 last year, around 8 p.m., he trespassed into B’s house. A sent B a text message saying "I will die," but after receiving a reply saying "Don’t lie," he cut the kitchen city gas pipe with scissors and opened the intermediate valve of the city gas. Gas was released through the cut pipe for 40 minutes, and A filmed this scene on his phone and sent it to B.

A claimed that his actions were intended to scare B into coming home. However, this was a dangerous act that could have caused a large-scale casualty accident. Furthermore, from October 6 last year for about a month, A committed stalking crimes by sending B approximately 830 messages that induced fear or anxiety.

The court explained the sentencing by stating, "He cut the city gas pipe to threaten the victim and leaked gas for about 40 minutes, which is an act that could endanger an unspecified number of people through gas explosions, etc. It is a highly blameworthy crime and he has not been forgiven by the victim."