Prosecutors Seek Prison Term for Man in His 50s with Sex Offense Record Who Tried to Lure Elementary School Student

Prosecutors have demanded a prison sentence in an appeal trial for a man in his 50s who attempted to lure an elementary school student walking home from school.

During the sentencing hearing for A, 55, held yesterday (September 2) by the Criminal Division 1 of the Jeonju Branch of the Gwangju High Court (Presiding Judge Jung Moon-kyung), the prosecution requested, "Please sentence the defendant to three years in prison as originally sought in the lower court."

In response, the defense argued, "The defendant has a history of mental illness and has poor eyesight of around 0.2 to 0.3, making it difficult for him to distinguish people's ages. With no family, the defendant simply spoke to the victim out of loneliness and had no intention of luring her."

In his final statement, A claimed his innocence, saying, "I attend church diligently and have never lied in my life. I went there to exercise without wearing my glasses and only made a joke using honorifics to the victim. I am in poor health, so please deliver a fair judgment."

He was indicted on charges of attempting to take B, a 12-year-old girl walking home, somewhere else on January 16 afternoon in an apartment complex in Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, by saying, "I will buy you a hamburger and pizza, so let's go together."

The crime ended in an attempted offense as B did not fall for the stranger's lure.

Although A denied the charges in court, stating, "I did not even know B was an elementary school student," the first-instance court did not believe him, citing his past sexual offenses against minors, and sentenced him to 10 months in prison along with a five-year location-tracking electronic bracelet attachment order.

The appellate sentencing trial for A is scheduled for September 30.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
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