A man in his 20s with an intellectual disability who committed a sex crime against an acquaintance and appealed for leniency on the grounds of diminished capacity has had his plea rejected by the court.

The Criminal Division 1 at the Chungju Branch of the Cheongju District Court (Presiding Judge Bin Tae-wook) announced today (August 3) that it has sentenced 22-year-old A, who was put on trial under the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles against Sexual Abuse for sexual assault by fraud, to three years in prison.

A is accused of meeting and sexually assaulting the victim, whom he met at a special school, in Chungju in July 2024.

A, who has a level 3 intellectual disability, claimed diminished capacity during the trial, but the court did not accept the argument.

Presiding Judge Bin stated, "The defendant's culpability is heavy as he used his influence to sexually assault a victim with an intellectual disability, and it appears the victim suffered severe shock." The judge added, "While it is true that the defendant's overall intelligence is somewhat low, considering that he demonstrates a level of understanding regarding basic social norms and interpersonal relationships, he is believed to have been aware of the meaning of sexual relations."

"We comprehensively considered factors such as the failure to reach a settlement with the victim," the judge added.

(Photo: Yonhap News)