ㅣ A man in his 70s accused of forcibly molesting a teenage girl has had his sentence of prison time suspended upheld in the appeal court.

A retired police officer in his 70s, who is accused of forcibly molesting a teenager whom he had never met before, was sentenced to a suspended prison term in the appeals court as well.

On the 23rd, the Jeonju branch of the Gwangju High Court's 1st Criminal Division (presiding judge Yang Jin-soo) upheld the original judgment that sentenced the defendant, referred to as A, to 1 year and 6 months in prison with a 2-year suspension, dismissing the appeals filed by both the prosecution and the defendant in the case regarding a violation of the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth from Sexual Abuse (forcible molestation).

The retired police officer, A, was indicted for forcibly grabbing the hand of B, a girl he met for the first time in mid-December 2022 in a residential area of Jeonju.

A, who was found guilty in the first trial, claimed, "B asked for my contact information first and then put her hand in my pocket to grab me." He appealed the decision, maintaining that "B asked for my contact information first and then put her hand in my pocket to grab me."

However, the appellate court determined that A's claims were hard to believe based on the victim's consistent testimony and circumstantial evidence.

The court stated, "The victim provided detailed testimony about aspects that would be difficult to know without directly experiencing the incident, both to the investigative agency and in court." They added, "Not only are there no contradictions in her testimony, but there is also no indication that the victim had any special motive to harm the defendant."

Additionally, the court remarked, "The defendant claims that the victim approached him, but it is difficult to understand, based on common social norms, that a young female teenager would take the initiative to grab the hand of a middle-aged man or ask for contact information."

The court concluded, "The victim did not seek economic benefits, such as demanding a settlement; yet, the defendant is evading legal responsibility with claims that are difficult to accept while blaming the victim, so the responsibility is heavy."

Image source: Reference photo to aid in understanding the article / gettyimagesbank